


Turmoil Beneath

by Ahhoverloaded



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: (If you want to get past ep 8 stuff, AU people actually die and it changes the plot, Badass Finn (Star Wars), Badass Rey, Coruscant (Star Wars), Force Bond, Force Ghost Anakin Skywalker, His script of ep 9 was amazing, Kudos to Colin T, Mortis (Star Wars), Mustafar (Star Wars), lightsabers!, read past ch 12)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-06-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:15:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 65,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23420800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ahhoverloaded/pseuds/Ahhoverloaded
Summary: General Organa leads the last of the Rebels away from the First Order fleet, but they are low on fuel and have nowhere to run. At the same time, Rey seeks council and teaching from the great Luke Skywalker. These are pivotal moments in the Episode. What if they never had an optimistic ending?Fast forward to Episode IX. Force sensitive Finn? Rose actually having a role and being able to bring in Broom boy? Also, Coruscant and Mortis; they have so much Star wars history they should have been seen on the big screen.
Kudos: 3
Collections: The_Newbie's Star Wars Fanfic





	1. The First Shift in the Tide

**Author's Note:**

> Our WhatIf begins about 30 min into Episode VIII.  
> I don't own any of these characters or artwork (if any if shown)

_No. Those Rebel scum are not getting away._

"Prepare my ship!" Ren barked at passing troopers. Nearly losing his footing, he ran down the halls to the hanger. His ship was waiting for him, along with three TIE fighters. Hands flying across the control boards allowed the craft to lift off within seconds. The Rebel cruisers were moving very slow, trying to conserve fuel. With a rage Ren justified only to himself, he blasted at the sides of the commanding cruiser. Its shields were nearly down, too, making this pest control far too easy. He dove down, close enough to see inside. Figures were running into the hanger on the Rebel cruiser.

_That's not going to happen_. Two shots and nearly all the fighting craft inside the Rebel hanger were blown up. Some of the further Rebel ships sent fighters who began to fire back. Ren dodged all the shots and made a few of his own, almost never missing his mark. He came 'round to the front of the Rebel cruiser. _Traitors,_ Ren frowned. \

"Ben." The familiar voice cut through his mind.

_Mom_. His mother was on board. Of course; she was the Resistance General. She was probably looking right at him. Ren's thumb started to tremble above the fire switch.

"Ben." She said his name again. Just his name. It was soothing; it was the first thing Ren heard that actually gave him peace. He felt something forgiven. He felt...hope. The child in him wanted to rush to his mother, cry into her chest and be forgiven. But this was a battlefield, and he was in charge of it. Already, he had made it so he could never be redeemed. He knew what he should do, what he needed to do. In charge... He bit his lip, staring where he knew she was. The targeting system yelled at him. He removed his finger from the blast controller.

Two brilliant shots rocketed from behind Ren's ship towards the Rebel command deck. The resulting explosion rocked the ship, casting out debris and bodies into the blackness of space. Ren gasped. All the air had been taken from him. His ship began to lose speed as Ren didn't return his hands to the controllers. The Force cried out, screamed and raged. He was staring at the body of his mother, lifeless in the grip of space.

His ship started to spiral downwards. Regaining his breath, Ren grabbed the controllers and swung his ship around. He found the two TIE fighters that had taken out the main bridge on the Rebel cruiser, the two that killed his mother, and shot them down from beneath the debris. This was no place to rage, confined to one small cockpit. He gazed amid the debris and saw her. His mom. No more, never anything less. Not the General; not the princess or Rebel leader, just his mom. A tear of shock traced the hard lines carved into his face as he heard Leia's last thought whisper into the cosmos.

_This is not where hope ends._

She was gone. There was nothing keeping him from firing. Why wasn't he? He began to re-fire at the smaller Resistance ships. _This is their fault,_ he let that stampede through him. But like everything else, the euphoria and justification of it died. Hux's sharp voice finally broke through on the communicator.

"Ren, the Resistance has pulled out of range. We can't cover you at this distance. Return to the Fleet." He wanted to stay and fight. But even he knew he was not better off dead at the moment. A few more shots hit their marks and Ren swung his ship around and returned to the Order. Disembarking, he marched towards the nearest elevator. Anyone that tried to talk to him got thrown into the nearest wall. It was hard enough to control the Force and rage at the same time inside him on a regular day. Now, where he stepped, spidering lines cracked the perfectly polished floor. Ren entered the elevator. In doing so, he stared at his reflection on the wall. His scar. His gloved hand barely scraped over the metal binding his flesh together gingerly. It had been made by her. The Scavenger. The one who was able to fight back and get away. He couldn't help but feel entirely enraptured by her. But even the wonder brought on by her was disregarded.

Anger, despair, pain, and something undefinable rolled about in his head. Ren had to stare at his reflection again. He bit his lip and looked down at his feet. The tiles were cracked. Red filled his vision. His fists opened and closed like a heartbeat. He exhaled. The Force would not control him, would not come out of him uncontrolled. His training was wrapping itself around his head, hemming in any emotions he had. Ren was teetering on the edge of insanity....

Ding!


	2. Broken Rocks or Shattered Dreams?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey is on Ach-Too with Luke, who still had refused to see her.   
> A rock shatters twice. What makes that so significant?

The shattering voices of a thousand mourning startled Rey awake. It was when she realized why they were mourning, she broke.

"No." She called out with her mind; she closed her eyes to feel. Nothing. "No!"

Rey grabbed her staff and Luke's lightsaber and ran to his door. It opened while she was still a yard away.

"Hey!" Luke exclaimed.

"Tell me it's not true. Tell me you don't feel it. Tell me this is a lie."

Luke stared into the eyes of a young woman completely torn apart. She was not lying; the fright behind her eyes showed him that. Her shoulders heaved and shook as she attempted to control her panic and growing anger. Luke raised an eyebrow at those small details.

"What did you feel?"

"Leia is DEAD! You, her own brother, ignorant to it! How did you not feel those thousands mourning, crying for her? How did you not fell to your knees crying? Have you become completely emotionless, completely devoid of all attachments? You left her, Luke. Why did you leave her? She searched for you until her dying breath and here you cower! Is that why the Jedi should end, it turns you into this?" She rambled on and on, berating Luke and the Jedi order. "I don't blame you if this is why it needs to end."

When she stopped to catch her breath and wipe her eyes, Luke shoved past her, barreling up the side of the mountain. For his age, he was remarkably spry. Rey followed him but stayed a good ways behind him. They entered a cave containing one singular item: a pool of perfectly still water with the ancient and sacred Jedi symbol carved in the stone base. Rey stayed on the front side of the pool while Luke exited the back of the cave onto a rocky ledge. He sat on a rock, overlooking the oceans and starry sky. Rey stood, staff in one hand, Lightsaber in the other. She was about to advance when a shockwave rumbled through the ground. The still pool awoke for the first time in hundreds of years. Rey nearly fell as rocks began to collide with the ground beside her. Luke turned his head from side to side with his eyes closed, scanning the horizon. Rey heard him whisper, or maybe she imagined it, or the ripples in the water broke enough for her to hear, "Leia".

The ground broke when fist connected with rock. Luke screamed. Rey wanted to block her ears it was such a bestial, heartbroken cry. Luke stayed up on that broken terrace until the binary suns came over the horizon. When the light hit him, he stood up, brushed his robes off, and dejectedly approached Rey.

"Why are you here?" His tone was accusatory and his stance aggressive. His eyes captured the suns' light and forced Rey to search them for anything other than present numbness.

"Leia sent me here for you to help her, for you to help the Resistance end the war."

Her tone was sedated, almost a question. Her brows were tensed and pensive, and she had trouble keeping eye contact with Luke. He stared at her. No, through her.

"You can't help Leia now. I can't. Go home, Rey." Luke turned his back on her. Rey hung her head, fiddling with the lightsaber.

"I don't have one. I have nowhere to go." She looked up at Luke, gathering strength. Luke saw a spark in her eyes. "But I want a place here. I need to belong. The Resistance isn't my place. But...maybe this is." She held out the Lightsaber again.

Luke scrutinized her. He saw hope, he saw strength, and he saw sadness. Loss and extreme, possibly volatile, desire. Someone that could easily become another Kylo Ren.

"How did you get this lightsaber?" he asked. Rey wasn't prepared for the question, but it was a simple answer.

"It called to me in Maz's. When I touched it, I saw my nightmares come to life, so I left it. I guess Han..." she had a clouded look overcome her, "Han gave it to Finn."

"Who's Finn?" Luke had seen the flicker of happiness rush onto Rey's face before it was resigned again.

"My first friend. Kylo almost killed him...." She avoided Luke's intense gaze at all costs. The eyes reminded her too much of Leia. Luke walked away from Rey and sat down on the lip of the again still pool.

"How did you survive fighting Kylo?" He ran his hand over the water.

"When he tortured me, I resisted him. I broke into his mind and got what I needed to survive." A zealous shadow overcame her. Luke saw that, and also Rey's finger brushing over the Activation button on the Lightsaber.

"I cannot teach you." Luke stood up. Rey followed suite.

"You have to. I came all this way..."

"You said yourself that you came for Leia, for the Resistance. You want your place in this? It isn't here. You have too much anger in you. If I teach you the Jedi ways, you would be strong, but you would fall, just like Kylo Ren." He started walking off, thinking the discussion was ended. Rey ran up to him.

"Tell me why I couldn't be a Jedi because of this anger. Anger is a part of life -- anger is what saved me!"

"Anger is what has destroyed every life, including your own. It destroyed my father's, it destroyed my nephew's, and it's destroyed mine. I am not going to let this cycle go on and on because you want a place in this!" Luke lashed out, grabbing the lightsaber from Rey's hand. She immediately aimed her staff, ready to strike. Luke held the ignited Skywalker Saber at his side, pointed towards the sky. The blue illuminated Luke's worn face, his tired eyes, his scarred hand. Rey stopped short. _This_ was the Luke Skywalker from Legend.

"You saved the Galaxy. Save it again. If you can't do it, if you won't do it, give someone else the tools to." Rey stoutly said.

"I didn't just run away after Kylo turned. I restarted the temple. I brought on more padawans. I tried to raise an army to defeat my nephew. I failed. I tried again. And again, each time failing. There is no more Jedi because we have always failed. I will win by making sure we never fail again. I am the last Jedi, Rey. I am not going to change my mind and get more killed."

Rey didn't have any words to respond with. She would find her own answers, hoping they would prove all of what Luke said wrong. She shouldered her staff and turned around. Her eyes wandered down the mountainside, keeping her footing sure but wandering to the ocean to the sky. Wandering everywhere but backwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I feel like these are short chapters. Also, I had no idea how to summarise this chapter so yeah, the BS summary is Tired Brain's Fault, blame her.


	3. Force Connecting Foes?

First off, he nearly stepped on one of those "Mouse Droids". Secondly, without his mask, Ren could hear nearly every chatter; between so many people talking, so many machines beeping, and Hux spouting off orders relentlessly, Ren could barely see.

He was approached by two lower-level officers, but before they could tell him what information they had, he Pushed them out of the way. Out of the corner of his eye, Ren saw Hux give a very disapproving look. He didn't care. Ren made his way to the opposite side of the Level and entered one of the completely enclosed, nearly pitch black elevators they used mainly for transporting prisoners. That being so, he used a keypad on the outside of the elevator to make sure he would reach his desired level. The elevator was quick, and Ren exited onto Medical Level two.

"Get me a surgery droid," He barked at one of the few live personnel on the level. He was shown into one of the specialist rooms, all dark metal grey with red accents. He sat, feeling like a child on the black leather chair. As the Medical droid began its work, a Pull, that was the only way Ren could describe it to himself, began to form within his mind. Almost like his brain was being sucked through lightspeed and his body was left behind. The pinching of the medical droid was a very distant memory. He looked around, sensing someone approaching, and waved the droid off. He looked to the door on his left. It disappeared in Black. In his peripheral vision, he saw light. Slowly, he looked straight ahead. It was _her._

They locked eyes. Those were her eyes. This wasn't a hologram. She looked like she was down a long black tunnel, but very much there in front of him. She looked startled, one eye bathed in sunlight, the other still in shadow, not as bright but just as clear. Her face wasn't hardened as he remembered, and her soft lips were parted, bringing a shudder to her breath and allowed him to hear her gulp.

Ren was frozen; he still didn't know what to make of this, this _bond._ He had only been staring and she bared her teeth, reached back, grabbed and fired her blaster. His hands trembled and his chest shuddered; the breath had been knocked out of him. Her image blinked out of the tunnel when he looked down at his stomach, which was not fried to a crisp.

He stood up and walked off the chair's platform. He could still feel her—she was moving. He ran, well, slid on the tile, out of his medical room. Again, he nearly crashed into a "mouse droid". Man, he hated those things.

_Where was she?_

The tunnel came back. She wasn't in front of him, but he felt eyes, piercing eyes. He spun around, saw she was still breathing heavily from running, flinched, stood straighter, and extended his hand. She was weak right now; he could get what he wanted.

"You will bring Luke Skywalker to me."

She just stared daggers at him, no different than before. Her eyebrows were furrowed and arched; her lips curled at the edges into a scowl. She would not be mind controlled.

Ren looked away from her stare and bit the inside of his cheek. He withdrew his hand.

"You're not doing this; the effort would kill you." _So how?_

She stayed indifferent to his comment. He raised an eyebrow, scrutinizing her for a second. He looked back at the hallway behind him, then started turning his head towards her, towards the black tunnel.

"Can you see my surroundings?"

"You're going to pay for what you did," she spat. He barely heard her.

"I can't see yours. Just you." Any anger he had melted away, especially when she had made her retort. He had no reason to be bothered by her—he just wanted to know how this was happening. The thirst for knowledge washed over him. He relaxed, and so did his face; even though the medical droid wasn't finished, it felt more human.

Her eyes fluttered. Her finger tapped the side of the trigger but she seemed more confused than startled anymore. She was still staring at him, just him, even though there was movement around him.

"So no," he answered his own question. But more and more popped up, with answers not readily available. "This is something else."

Rey snapped her head to her right and looked slightly up. Ren heard a door open in the distance and felt another lifeform come near the tunnel.

"Who is that?" Ren asked, unable to see the newcomer.

Rey glared at Ren without answering him, and the bond shut. She walked back into the Falcon where Chewie appeared at the entrance, intrigued by Rey's voice.

"It was no one," Rey lied. Chewie roared in protest, but Rey wasn't ready to tell anyone about this new event. She walked into her quarters in the Falcon to think.

She was torn. Luke had the lightsaber. Of course, he had kept it. She wanted it back, oddly. It had become a beacon; the start of something new for her. It had been, at least. And now, it was back with its rightful owner. She shouldn't be mad, and she knew it. But Luke's actions warranted her anger. The previous night she had talked with Chewie, who was willing to be with Rey wherever. Remembering that gave her comfort after the confrontation with Ren and made her smile.

"Only a few more days" she promised before leaving the Falcon once again. Another day dawned, and Rey bypassed Luke's hut all together.

Rey began to climb up the side of the mountain. She visited the same cave Luke had confronted her in and peered into the still pool. The water was so clear, so shallow, and so...perfect. When Rey peered into it, she saw a cycle. Life, death. Decay and rebirth. But there was a crack in the stone base. And in that crack, darkness. Absolute darkness, itching to unfurl and poison the clear water. Rey found herself reaching out to touch it, not knowing which one drew her more. She turned around, feeling eyes boring into her figure, to see no one. But someone, something, was irrevocably there, watching her. The feeling rushing through her was deep. Not dark, just powerful. Rey exited the cave onto the Ledge Luke had sat on. She also took a seat, crisscrossing her legs, placing her forearms on her knees. She stared out onto the tumulus ocean beneath. It would never cease to amaze her the amount of water on one planet. Rey closed her eyes, allowing the sun to bake her skin. Something from home, she remised. Feeling the sun, realizing for the first time she called Jakku home, struck a long-buried chord inside her. Images swirled about her head and she opened her palms as if something hot had been dropped on her fists. The lids of her eyes were closed, yet you could see her eyeballs twitching back and forth, quicker and quicker. Her brain was becoming overloaded with sights, sounds, and memories, almost none of which were hers.

Rey gasped. The Rocks around her fell, and the rock in which she had sat was split, even more so than when Luke pounded it with his fist. The feeling of eyes boring into her was back, but when she turned this time, a tangible figure was seen.

"How many images did you just see?" His voice was flat and unnerved Rey. She shook her head, trying to sort out the fragments remaining.

"What were they?"

Luke didn't answer her question upfront. "That rock has been sat on by over a thousand generations. Very few have been able to see the entire lives of those who's seat they are taking."

Rey was quiet. It didn't matter that the noise in her head was facing; she had just lived over a thousand lives in the span of a few moments. There was a lot to process. She had plenty of opinions for herself, and these images gave her many, many more. They also gave her more answers than she ever thought she would get from this island. 


	4. Choices, Choices

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start to see why Ren loathes Snoke with a burning passion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi this is a really, really short chapter, sorry I know I hate short chapters. I'm just trying to keep the different POVs seperate

"Ren. We need to talk." Hux's hoarse voice brought Ren back to reality far too quickly for his liking. He scowled, matching Hux's own, and went back into the medical room. Hux began to shut the door, but Ren made the surface burning hot.

"Would you stop that?" Hux cried out, shaking his hand from the pain. Ren turned away from him but there was no mask to retrieve. He sighed.

"What do you want, Hux?"

"The Supreme leader wants your word on the General of the Resistance is dead. He's waiting."

And Hux turned, leaving the room.

Ren placed his gloved hand on the plastic of the operation seat. The conversation with Rey had temporarily given other things to think about other than the death of his mother. His fist slowly clenched and the door slammed shut. He yelled, so much agony coursing through him and this was just a fraction he vocalized, and drew his lightsaber. In this blind rage, he burnt the chair to ashes. His original name rolled around and round in his head, first in his mother's voice, then his father's. Then Luke's. Then Snoke's. And another he didn't know, but it sent the worst chill down his spine. He turned his lightsaber off, hooked it back to his belt, and stood up from where he had fallen on his knees. The door opened for him as he still had his back turned. Someone was always watching. He walked out of the room.

"Supreme Leader, you summoned me." Ren kneeled before Snoke.

"I have heard the General of the Resistance is dead. Is this true? Was it by your hand?" Snoke asked.

Ren gulped. His knees were aching but he had not been told to rise.

"The General is dead."

"Why do I sense...regret...in you, boy?"

He nearly stood up and charged the creature in front of him, but kept back. Snoke began cackling.

"I thought you were completely on my side, boy. Get up." Snoke pointed a bony finger at Ren. "Bring the girl to me. This is the only way I shall trust in you again. Go."

Ren nodded curtly and turned his heel. He walked back towards the command deck but never made it; he saw Hux and Phasma through the window and walked the other way. He needed to see how the construction below was going anyways. He got the latest updates from the manager on the level and found a little corner of the observation deck that was empty. He entered that room and sealed the door. He stood at the glass, maybe a foot away, staring at the hundreds of tons of equipment and metal being moved around. While watching this mechanical work being done, his mind wandered to the connection between him and Rey. Nothing seemed to say this was his fault, or hers. He knew that she had broken into his mind, gained all his knowledge and stored it up. Besides being wounded on Starkiller Base, it was because she knew how he fought, and then also adapted. That was only the beginning of the battles he lost. Hux was more impatient than ever, Phsama was nearly beating down all the troops because she couldn't afford to lose any more of her comrades. And Ren? All he could do was stare at the equipment being manufactured.

"Have you seen what I've seen?" Rey followed Luke with her eyes as he approached her. "Do you know all the _horrors_ that this rock alone has felt? Did you know about the Pit beneath us?"

"It called to you. It called to you and you didn't even hesitate." Luke shook his head, amazed and terrified. "You want to go down there. You want to see if it will show you everything and more of what you've just seen. You know it will give you answers where I cannot."

"If you know all of this...teach me so I don't have to do it." Rey pleaded. She never liked begging. She hated it, in fact. Rey chastised herself until she realized this could be bargaining. That, at least, she could do. Luke pondered her offer.

"I've seen the strength you have only once before and I was not enough to stop it."

Rey uncrossed her legs and swung them over the edge of the rock. "Kylo," she mused. "You both failed. You," she finally locked eyed with Luke, "get a second chance. Take it. Why wouldn't you? Is one failure so torturous you cannot even come to terms with being alive?"

"Did you not listen to me before?" He nearly roared. "I tried, and I failed, over and over. I didn't just fail my nephew. I failed my sister. I failed my friend. I failed the galaxy. I failed every single living creature in this universe."

"So, make it right! Teach me! Show me the ways of the force so I don't keep learning from him!"

Rey's eyes captured the light just so and it revealed the deep pits behind them. She finally noticed the Lightsaber on Luke's belt. It called to her. Luke saw her eyeing it. He felt her desire for it.

"He's teaching you? How?" Luke stepped further from Rey. She closed her eyes to battle and suppress the thousands of voices from the memories the Rock imparted to her.

"When I got into his mind, after that, I understood so much about the Force. I knew about you. I knew about the powers that came from your teachings. I.... A part of me woke up. I got hungry. Hungry for power because there is so much I can do now. More than I ever dreamed of. Kylo offered to be my teacher. It was tempting." She had regret shining in her eyes. "I only didn't take it because I needed—need-- to be better than him. I couldn't, can't, fall like him. But," she picked up a rock and rubbed it between her thumb and forefinger, "I'm still learning more from him than anyone else."

Luke stared at the girl in front of him. She was small but she was strong. She gazed lovingly at the rock in her hand. There was a way she squinted her eyes to see the entirety of the ocean that made Luke realize that must have been him when he saw an ocean for the first time. A low howl resounding from the deep caused Rey's ears to perk up. Her muscles tensed and her eyes narrowed, trying to find the place the sound came from. She snapped back and looked at the pool of water. Luke had seen the crack in it, and from it, now, came a gust of wind that caused bubbles to break the surface of the pool. He saw Rey flinch before the trance over her broke.

"I have made up my mind and there will be no more Jedi. Leave, Rey of Jakku." He left the ledge. Rey watched him leave but she decided to stay up on the ledge and watch the incoming storm clouds. It was loud. Rey didn't think it could be loud up on the most solitary place in the universe. Thunder cracked and Rey jumped. Storm clouds were coming. She hopped off the ledge, deciding to stay in the cave until the storm passed. She sat on the edge of the still pool, tempted to place her hand on the water. She saw a binding light and then about ten seconds later thunder boomed. The water drew her hand closer and closer. She touched her fingertip to the surface and lightning struck.

Tingling. Rey felt her hair stand on end. Her hand was still in the water, and so was the lightning. She flexed her fingers. The lightning inside the liquid followed suite. She put her hand deeper and deeper until she touched the crack at the base of the pool. That's when pain struck. The lightning bit at her hand. She yanked it away, and once her hand was out of the water, the lightning, she could have sworn, had a face and hissed at her before swirling down into the crack. Rey jumped up and ran all the way down to the Millennium Falcon. Chewie growled something at her but she couldn't translate it; her mind was out of sorts. She collapsed onto her cot and stared at nothing. All the voices she had heard were chattering, building up into cyclone inside her head. She closed her eyes.

_Please, just give me answers. I don't want more questions. I don't want to hear you scream._

**We aren't screaming. That's you.**

Rey sat up in a flash. Trying to still her heart, she closed her eyes and took several deep breaths, wiping her hand over her face. They hadn't talked to her before. She looked around the room. It was messy, very eclectic with little souvenirs from the planets she and Chewie stopped at before arriving on Act-to. A thin smile tried to appear but was buried under the return of the voices. At least there weren't flashes at that moment. Rey heard something pounding on the roof of the Falcon. It was a strange noise, something she hadn't heard before.

Chewie came stomping in, his fur wet.

"What is it?" Rey stood up, rushing towards him. He growled. "Rain?" Rey questioned. Chewie nodded. A real smile spread on Rey's lips. She was about to run outside and Chewie growled. Rey nodded and backtracked. "Alright, alright, I'll put on a poncho." She grabbed the poncho and her staff.

Rain. It was cool to her touch. At first she recoiled at the wetness falling from the sky, jumping back under the wing of the Falcon, but then lept back out into the torrent, letting it wash over her face. Amazing was the only word she could think of to describe it. Some wind began to pick up, driving her back under the wing of the Falcon. Rey stuck her hand out though, and let the water pool in her fingers before dumping it to the ground. She heard the ocean raging beneath the cliffs and she smiled. It was everything she had dreamed about as a kid on a desert planet. She leaned towards the edge to see the waves crashing on the rocks, then stepped back under the wing of the Falcon. If only she truly felt at home. That was the only thing missing from this dream come reality. Home.


	5. Embers to Flames

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Rey need to find something for themselves, but neither know what it is. What they do know is that the Force is connecting them, and they are both going to use it for their own purposes.

Sparks flew from welding and sawing equipment. It was the same color as when he destroyed the Temple. And then his mother. She had sent him away, to that temple. To be with Luke. To be trained, to become a protector. He never told her about the voices. He tried to tell Han, but Han was always away. They were coming back now, so much worse than before. Ren resisted the urge to touch his scar. Not the visible one, no. The one left by Han's hand before he fell. It was invisible under the one given to him by Rey, but all the more painful. Hearing his mother's last thought, his _name_ from her-- from them-- was too much. He wished for those voices that had taken him away from his parents to come back. They had become his family.

Wind. Wind?

Ren looked to his left towards the door. It was still shut.

Cackling, splatters. Rain. A ringing in his ear, and then the Pull. Darkness, but not absolute this time, flooded the tunnel before him. He turned around, and there she was.

Again, her face reflected surprise: parted lips, raised eyebrows, and a soft gasp. Ren took this as his chance to get answers or try to.

"Why is the Force connecting us? You and I?" Genuinely, he wanted to know. But her expression had changed.

"Murderous snake." So much venom. Heh. She had hatred in her eyes; daggers that threatened to kill him from however far away they really were. They bore into his.

He had no response. She barreled past his slightly hurt expression.

"It's too late. You've lost. I've found Skywalker."

_Luke._ Hurt welled up. She had to know the truth. He did too.

"Did he tell you what happened?"

By her taken aback look, he guessed she hadn't. She began to bare her teeth again, ready to attack, but he couldn't let that happen.

"The night I destroyed his temple, did he tell you why?" He stepped closer, needing to know all she knew.

"Which time?"

He didn't have anything to say about that.

"I know everything I need to know about you." She hissed. Her eyes matched her voice, but her soft, parted lips didn't. He continued to step closer, needing to read her every micro expression.

"You do?"

She stood tall, confident. Glaring such a poisonous stare that his mother would be, would have been, proud of.

"Ah, you do," he stated mockingly. Such Bravo in his voice not matched by his expression.

She was confused; her face showed it.

"You have that look in your eyes, from the forest." Ren murmured.

Rey was startled. Why would he remember that? But what she most feared was that he was reading her thoughts.

"When you called me a monster." Ren seemed resigned, almost... sad?

Rey closed off her mind, shut out the hurt and confusion. She stated the one thing she entirely believed.

"You are a monster." There, she said it. She hoped he wouldn't feel her believing that about herself. They locked eyes. Rey's mind was far too quiet. She was terrified. But when he looked at her...all she felt was anger. She stood taller, not feeling the rain beginning to spit at her face by the wind. She hoped her staring and mind block would be enough for him to back away, for whatever this bond was to break. Ren saw another wall building up inside her head. _She's scared,_ he noticed. He stepped forward and too readily agreed with her spitting remark.

"Yes, I am."

The bond shut. Rey could finally let out a breath but it wasn't free. _Why had he agreed?_ No, that wasn't what bothered her so. It was _how_ he agreed. And not just agreed. Reveled it in. A shiver shook her entire body, only partially from the cold and rain. He told her what she had felt all along. For a moment, there had been rage boiling in him. Then, resent. Confusion, yearning. And finally, resignation. She realized he probably called himself a monster every day. He wasn't wrong. He wasn't going to be redeemed just because he knew that fact. Now, though, she had to find out _why_. She needed to find the why, but also find the _what_ that was keeping him from leaving that title behind.

Han was gone, Leia was gone. Ren had no reason to return to the light. He would wallow in the Dark until he got strengthened by it. It terrified Rey to her core, realizing she was in the same situation. She didn't have anyone. It wasn't Rey's job to fix Ren. But she was a scavenger. She would figure out why Ren had fallen and what she could do to not become him. It was there she decided she would find out why Kylo burned the temple. Why she and him seemed connected. And what she could do to break it. Nothing would stop her from trying to scavenge one last thing. Even if that one last thing was only herself. 


	6. Excavating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Rey are both left with more questions than answers through the Bond.

Ugh. Wetness.

Ren wiped his face with his gloved hand. Water? This was something new. He watched the droplets roll off the leather and onto the hard, black stone floor. Normally an anomaly like this would distract him. But no. His bones felt brittle with guilt. It was only by his training he didn't collapse.

Picking up his led weighted feet, Ren stomped off to the main bridge. Everything was running smoothly. Hux was inflated by the chase of the Rebel ships, who were nearly down and dead. Phasma was energetically polishing her weapon and barking orders to the Troopers. Ren had just entered the room enough to hear Hux command the ship to fire. He saw the Medical ship explode for a moment before dark matter swallowed the gases, leaving behind a scattering of debris.

"Well done, Hux." The words were dry on his tongue, but Hux still stood taller.

"With the General gone, the fleet is floundering. We shall have them finished off in no time." A wet, evil smile spread across Hux's face. It did not lighten his pallor or make his features any nicer to look at. Ren decided he had enough.

"I will leave you to it then." Ren walked out of the room. Ren checked in with Phsama and her Troopers. Compared to Hux, she was an absolute delight.

"Is the search party for the girl still underway?" Ren asked. Phsama gave an order to a Trooper before turning her masked face to him.

"Yes, Sir. However, your Knights of Ren are returning within the next day for resupply and report."

Ren nodded, slowly munching on the inside of his cheek. "Very well," he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "Report as soon as they are in range. I would like to meet them myself to hear the full report."

"Yes, Sir." Phasma turned away to a group of Troopers gathering at the end of the hall. Ren stood there, alone. At the moment, there wasn't much he could do. His mind was preoccupied with other things anyway. Ren turned his heels and made his way back to his quarters.

The elevator ride was distressing. Being in closed, confined spaces never sat right with Ren after the incident with Luke. He watched floors go by as he zoomed upwards. He was adjusting to having so many people under his command but that didn't mean he liked it. It was only because he knew he was doing the right thing he stayed in command. During all his travels, he saw so much oppression, so much chaos. The Force was constantly screaming in the planets the Resistance gathered in. The Senate, or what they called the Senate, was a hoge podge of characters loosely controlling vast populations. Thinking about so many people still "free" gave Ren a headache. Every noise was amplified, the grinding of gears, the little _pops_ from electrical circuits. Overload, overload.

The elevator stopped. Ren didn't get out. He stood, staring at his all white room until the elevator started to ding, and even then he used the force to destroy the speaker. He finally exited the elevator and blind rage took over.

Slash.

Slash.

Smash.

Ren kept slicing at the wall until it was charred beyond repair. His chest heaving, Ren looked at the saber and gently placed it on the white marble next to his bed. He took off his cloak, hung it up. Took off his jacket, hung that up. Same with his shirt and then undershirt.

He walked into the bathroom and stared at his reflection. He traced the scar Rey gave him so long ago in the forest. A flash. He slammed his fist down onto the sink, which thankfully didn't break.

Agonizingly, Ren removed the black compression band on his torso. Man, Chewie's blaster sure did mess him up good.

He let the hot water wash over him. It was every time, either a flash back and something broke, or a vision of what could be and pain. This time it was the former and then the latter, but the latter came in a different form than usual.

As the water washed over him, Ren was back at the burning of the Temple. Running, and slashing. He hadn't changed much from that point, except now he had a more specific disaster waiting to befall. He punched the tile, which only gave into an imprint of his fist. Ren saw that, closed his eyes, and concentrated. The metal unbent itself. It was good as new. He let out a breath. He finished showering and half dried off. He put on his pants and compression band when that getting all too familiar Pull warped him back into that black tunnel.

"I would rather not do this right now."

Her voice.

"Yeah, me too," he replied. So many thoughts ended abruptly with her there. He saw her in the mirror in front of him. Again, it was her and only her. Even in the twilight around her, she looked extremely ticked off and tired. Just looking at her posture and clenched hands he realized this.

"Why did you hate your family?" She began the sentence as if she had been rehearsing it, and near the end still faltered.

"Why do you still long for yours?" Ren turned around to see her quickly adverting her gaze. He forgot he was shirtless. The surprise wore off her face, replaced with a fed-up hardness. For that moment she was distracted. Any other time this would have been welcome, a chance for him to get whatever words he wanted out. This was not one of those times.

"Do you have something, a cowl or something that you could put on?"

Even though his towel was only a step away, Ren slightly enjoyed watching her squirm. Rey looked down, calculating whether or not she really needed her questions answered versus looking at him. She must have decided getting answers was more important because she looked up and began nearly yelling.

"Why did you hate your family, give me an honest answer! Why did you not answer your mothers' last words? She DIED for you and you've done nothing! And why would you kill so many children under Luke's care, and still leave _him_ alive?" She had labored breathing after, but it seemed that explosion was what she needed. Her posture got straighter and the little light that reflected in her eyes showed yearning rather than disgust or heaviness. Ren only stepped forward. He needed to be as close as he could get so she could read the truth in his face, not just hear his words. She took his silence as non-answer and continued questioning, yelling.

"You had an uncle who only wanted to help you, a father who loved you--you had a mother who gave a damn about you!"

"I didn't hate my parents. But I hated Luke."

That simple truth he cut her off with completely boggled her. She had opened her mouth to continue her exclaims and quickly shut it, needing to process what he said.

"Luke's not dead—your parents are! So why?"

He saw the tears beginning to stream down her face, even in the dim light around her. "Why what?"

She let out a rattling exhale. Of course, she didn't want to come to terms with _that_ truth, the one that hurt her too. _Don't make me say it,_ her face pleaded.

"Why, what? Say it." He needed her to realize what had happened. He needed her to be broken so she could maybe get some semblance of what it felt like to be him. What it felt like to have to do something. In his compulsive need for her to be broken just like him, he didn't realize she already knew what that life was like.

"Why did you?" The words were so hard to utter into reality. "Why did you kill them? And leave Luke alive?" A sharp inhale. "I don't understand."

_Them._ Of course, she knew he was there when his mother was shot down. But her accusing him of being her killer _?_ _Of course you don't understand._ Spite welled up in him. He wasn't ready to answer about Luke yet, but his parents?

"No, your parents threw you away like garbage. "

That hit the nerve he wanted. She fired back. "They didn't!"

"They did. But you can't stop needing them." _Just like me_. "It's your greatest weakness."

Tears were still falling hard off her face; anguish tore through her trembling lips. Defeat rested on her shoulders. Ren could tell she didn't want to look at him, but he hoped she would, just so she could see how bare he was laying himself.

"Looking for them everywhere, in Han Solo. Leia. Now, in Skywalker." _Because I did the same thing._ "You shouldn't."

Silence from Rey. Time to change the subject.

"Did he tell you what happened that night?"

"Which one?"

"His betrayal. When he tried to murder me."

A vengeful sneer overcame her. "Yes."

She thought she had the upper hand. But he read her eyes— glimmering with doubt.

"No. He had sensed my power. As he senses yours. And he feared it. I saw him standing over me, his face cast over by a green light. The light of a lightsaber ready to strike. I grabbed my own lightsaber, just in time. He had swung the blade down, ready to end my life. I crushed the building on top of him, and myself by extension. I crawled out of the debris and ran." Ren looked up at Rey, having been staring off, reliving the tale. She shifted weight on her feet and looked away, processing.

"Liar."

One word should not carry so much weight, but coming from her lips it did. Ren stepped forward. If they had been in the same physical space, he would have been an arm's length away from her.

"Let the past die. Kill it if you have to." He searched her eyes. "It's the only way to become what you were meant to be."

The Bond closed, leaving Rey on the dark planet, wiping tears off her face, and Ren alone in his chambers, staring at a blank black wall. Rey knew she shouldn't believe a word out of that monster's mouth, (not to mention she noticed he didn't answer all of her questions), yet she couldn't help those words bouncing around her head. The ocean lapping against the rocks allowed her some peace of mind. In that white noise, she made her decision. She would find out if his words had any truth. She marched off at a quick pace. She had to know.

The voices were of no help to her. They seemed to always be chatting away, but now they clamped their mouths shut. Rey had to get the Lightsaber back. She had to try to see something again. She had to see if her suspicions were true, and she had many suspicions rising. Luke was not in a place to talk. Rey had seen him standing at the top of the mountain, paying tribute to his sister and Han. She saw the anger that he had accused her of (seeming so long ago) building up within him. That hypocrisy alone made her distrust him, and, through extension, the hope she had from the myth deteriorated just as quickly.

A whisper came out of the mist. It was deep and penetrating, and it distracted and drew her in. There were two places on that planet designed to call out the Force. She had heard it the other day when she acquired the voices. It had called to her then too. And now the voices were silent. Luke had been so, so afraid. _Maybe I should be afraid,_ Rey thought. It didn't matter what she _should be_ , she realized. It was what she _would be_. Ren was right on that; the past should die. However, before Rey let it, there was one thing she needed to find out.

The waves crashed and water gushed just beneath her. Leaping lightly, Rey finally found herself on the edge of the weed surrounded hole, seemingly leading to an abyss. It was dark and it was cold. She felt cool sea air splash up into her face. Getting on her hands and knees, she knelt further and further over the edge when an invisible hand pulled her down, down, down. 


	7. Finding your worst nightmare

Ren was left staring at another wall.

_Kill it, if you have to._ He had just spoken those words to Rey yet they went around and around his head. Kill _It,_ kill _him._ He rubbed his temples. For the first time, it hit Ren that both his parents were dead. And the one he always wanted to kill was Luke, yet he was still alive. Killing his father had not fulfilled him, and being there when his mother was killed nearly emptied him of everything. And Rey. Rey had his remaining everything. She had his mother's love, his father's blessing. His grandfather's Lightsaber and Luke's guidance. He began to wonder if that would have been him if he had been born a nobody. Ren dried off, put on his shirt and cloak, and made way to put on his helmet. Not for the first time and not for the last time, it wasn't there. Ren stood straighter. No more masquerades.

Soldiers passed him in lines, mindlessly following orders. Higher officials saluted Ren as he passed.

The control room was overflowing. Hux was still sky high in confidence, watching through the windows the flailing Resistance fleet.

"How much longer until we can bring down their main ship?" Ren inquired. Hux clasped his hands behind his back, a devilish grin spreading on his face.

"Within the hour."

"Very good."

The two men stood on the edge of the viewing platform. Long ago they had passed the wreckage from the main cruiser. His mother would have been running their escape, Ren realized. But she wasn't there. His training reminded him this was a good thing. But the sentimentalist in him whispered that his mother would still have been alive if he didn't call the attack if he wasn't in the front of the war.

"Ren, what happened to the mask?" Hux was still staring straight ahead but the sneer in his voice let Ren know Hux was toying with him.

"I had no reason for it."

They continued to watch the stars get closer and further. Soon, however, Hux's personality and continuous barking at officers drove Ren crazy.

"Notify me when we get in range for an ending shot." He turned his heel and marched away. Without the mask, Ren could see officers side-eyeing him, as well as the Lightsaber on his side. He found an empty hallway and sealed himself in the furthest empty room. Turning on the control panel, Ren fixed some bugs within the system. He ran diagnostics on the latest cases and monitored the ship in its entirety. Phasma was doing very well, taking up her volunteer post with her troopers. She was much better company than Hux, Ren sourly thought. He continued to delve into the system, analyzing the new recruit's patterns and tendencies. No one else had deserted or seemed inclined to at any moment. However, that was the same way with FN-2187.

After about three hours of this, Ren tore his eyes away from the screen and exited the room. He walked back through the main hanger, avoiding Hux at all costs. He was headed towards the mechanics bay when an unfamiliar feeling overcame him. It wasn't quite the Pull of the Force Bond, but it was close enough that Ren felt flushed. He briskly backtracked into the surveillance room he recently exited. If this was another Bond, he didn't want anyone to question what he was doing. Especially Snoke.

\--------------------------------------

_Splash._

She hit water. It was a weird sensation, slimy and not at all like rain. She found she had to kick and paw her way up above so she could breathe. The shore was right there; she flung herself onto the dry rock and stood up. In front of her was this great semi-reflective rock. Behind her, deep waters and howling winds. Rey looked ahead again and saw...herself. It was her, and another, and another; all following the same movements, having the same curious face. When Rey reached out, so did the reflection. She took another step, another breath, and her fingertips touched the rock. It melted away.

She looked at her hand. It was hers, but it didn't feel like it. She snapped. It traveled down a thousand of her own hands, echoing ominously, finally stopping, deadening at a solid surface. Rey had to get there. She looked at her hand. She turned it, palm towards her face first, then palm away. She looked ahead. A thousand backs turned on her. Rey clenched her fist.

It stopped, in front of another rock. Rey saw this one, with her own eyes. This one, however, was opaque. She couldn't see anything in it or beyond it; she couldn't even see her own reflection. A small voice said it was a trap. But Rey didn't feel trapped. She stepped forward, gulping. There was one thought ringing in her mind. That one reason she was there on that island, the one that Ren had pried out of her and used against her.

"Let me see them," Rey placed her fingertip on the opaque rock's surface, "my parents. Please."

Two shadows walked on the other side of the rock. They were approaching her. Rey did not let her heart speed up, or her thoughts to run anywhere close to hope. The figures got closer, and as they got closer, they began to collide with one another. By the time they reached the rock, it was no longer a "they", but one figure still shrouded in darkness. The figure lifted up their hand to match Rey's. She shuddered finally embracing a ray of hope that would not be quelled.

"Please," she thought, willing the rock to clear so she could see the person behind it. The rock obeyed. The film was removed, only to show Rey her own reflection again.

The illusion broke when Rey fell to her knees. There was no one. She was utterly alone. She began her journey alone, lived her life alone.

"Is nobody there for me?" She cried. Waves cut by rocks were here only answer.

Rey looked at the cavern around her, enclosing in on her. The thousand Reys still followed her every move, waiting for their next command. But whatever the Force, the dark side specifically, had lured her into this cave to find wasn't even near to entering her mind. Rey swam into the ocean, as this was her only way out. Soaking wet, she didn't stop by Luke's, and she ignored the natives flocking around her previous hut. She stripped off her wet clothes, dried off with her dry poncho, and got into her old scavenger clothes, the only other items of clothing not on the Falcon. They gave her pain, far too much. She heard dark voices threatening to overcome her own. She was so weak, so tired. So broken and so alone.

A pull formed at the back of her mind. She was too tired to resist it. He was sitting in an alcove by himself. He looked up at her but didn't speak. He studied her, and his face became increasingly concerned. His voice was soft.

"What did you find?"

_He knew._ "I went down there, to that place. I thought it would have answers. It pulled me in. I knew I should have been scared. I should have felt trapped or panicked. But I didn't. It didn't go on forever. I knew it was leading somewhere. And in the end, it would show me what I came to see." She stared at the floor, knowing her face was tear-stained, knowing she was so vulnerable. But Ren didn't react. He sat, waiting for her to finish, even giving a little nod of his head, wanting her to know he was listening.

"I asked to see my parents. They were there, I knew it. But when the rock cleared..." Rey shook her head. "I thought I'd find answers here, on this island. I thought I would find them from Luke. No. I thought I would find them in that hell-scape illusion. No. I was wrong." She stared into the fire, watching the flames dance. It reminded her of the sun on Jakku. "I never felt so alone." 

"You're not alone."

Rey finally looked up at Ren. His normally stone-like features were gone, replaced with worn lines. He didn't have trembling lips, but his eyes were wet. Compassion.

"Neither are you."

Some thunder cracked above Rey. Ren heard it, and it startled him. He wasn't used to being so vulnerable. But looking at Rey, bathed in firelight, there was a calmness, a peace that gripped him.

"It isn't too late," she said. She saw him shift a bit. A calculating spark ignited in his eye, but for once it was not turned into an inferno. Rey knew she had to be the one to start it. As if approaching a desert animal, cornered and frightened, she extended her hand. Ren looked at her face, then the extended hand. His lip was nigh trembling as he glanced down. Rey put her hand out a little further, shaking slightly. Ren fixed her with an intense stare. Their eyes were locked and she didn't want to tear away to see him remove the glove from his hand. They kept their eyes fixed on each other.

Their skin touched. So minimal, but so powerful. They both gasped, seeing so much more than the face in front of their own. Ren was overcome with desire. He wanted to grab Rey, take her into his world, make the visions in front of him come true. Rey wanted to take his hand and run. Run, run away to a new world, start a new life, forgetting the past. But neither had the chance to move as Luke tore at the curtain that acted as Rey's door. He shouted, the force of his "Stop!" breaking the hut into pieces. Ren couldn't see it, but Rey's head snapped to the side and she withdrew her hand. The tunnel blinked out and Ren was alone, scared for Rey, and Rey was cornered by Luke, all illumination from the fire quenched by torrential rains.

Rey stood up defensively. She looked back to where Ren had been, so close to her. The rain was cold on her skin. Luke stood there, the ground trembling far away.

"Is it true?" Rey yelled over the wind. Luke was angry, yes, but he was desperate. Rey wasn't desperate.

"You need to leave this island—now!" Luke retorted. He turned his back, something that made Rey bristle.

"Stop."

He kept walking.

"Stop!"

Luke continued ignoring her, clenching and unclenching his fists. _She said she wouldn't fail me, pssh._

Rey couldn't hear his thoughts but his anger fed hers. She picked up her staff.

_Wack!_

Luke fell forward but caught himself midair. He growled, and in the moonlight, Rey saw a barbaric, animalistic glint in his eyes. Rey's breath caught in her throat. She had faced many monsters, but this was one born of years of pain all being directed at her, when both knew it should have been at himself. She kept her staff at the ready when she was knocked backward. Luke had his gloved hand extended towards her. Where the force had pushed Rey, the rain stopped. She yelled and attacked with her staff full force. Luke forgot he had a saber at his side, and called down a metal antenna from a distant hut. It arrived at his hand just in time to deflect Rey's second wave of blows.

Luke, finally remembering how to fight with a stick, easily wacked Rey's wrist just so her hand spasmed. Her balance was off as Luke struck again, and the staff clattered to the ground. Rey scanned for another weapon and saw her chance. She called the Lightsaber off Luke's belt and drew it up, blade ready to scream down in an arc of light. She sliced the metal rod in Luke's hand in half and kicked him square in the chest. He fell to the ground and a streak of lightning lit up the sky. He was staring into the eyes of yet another student so close to the dark side.

Rey held the lightsaber in her right hand, the blade dangerously close to Luke's chest. Her eyes captured the lightning from the sky dangerously perfectly. She shuddered as more memories and visions flooded her mind due to contact with the saber.

"Who are you?" Luke yelled over the wind. Rey got even closer with the lightsaber blade.

"I'm another Kylo Ren if somebody doesn't help me!" She fired back. Luke began to sit up but Rey swung the saber about 6 inches from his nose. "I don't want to fall, Luke. Help me, teach me!" she quieted.

"Teach you what? It appears Ren has already given you all his knowledge. You have learned everything you can from me. I have made up my mind. No one will ever become a Jedi again."

"Why? You told me why you would not teach. But why do the Jedi need to end? Tell me that, Master Luke."

"We became hypocrites and led the galaxy to war. Any Jedi that lived after Order 66 ran. We don't have a place in this galaxy anymore."

_We don't have a place._ Rey shook her head and shut off the saber. She wouldn't—couldn't—trust anyone that told her someone didn't have a place. Bending over, she picked up her staff and hefted it, keeping a tight grip on the strap because of her wet skin and clothes. She passed by her hut, in ruins thanks to Luke's outburst. She grabbed her bag and lifted it onto her left shoulder. There was no turning back.

The side of the mountain was slippery and dangerous, but feeling the weight of the Jedi texts in her bag gave Rey a glimmer of hope that would not be staunched by mud. The rain lessened by the time she reached the Falcon. Chewie roared disapproval at the mud tracked in but Rey didn't address it. She stomped through the ship, threw down her bag and staff and lightsaber, found an old stack of clothes that didn't smell and weren't wet, put them on, and threw herself into the Pilot seat. Chewbacca traipsed in and sat in the Co pilot seat, barely in time before Rey got the ship off the ground and out of the atmosphere.

"What happened?" Chewbacca growled. Rey flipped a stabilizing switch, preparing for lightspeed.

"He said the Jedi didn't have a place in the galaxy. He wouldn't teach me. I had no reason to stay." Last switch. "Ready?" Chewie nodded albeit showing disappointment. They jumped into the stars.

____________________________________________

Ren was sitting in that tiny cubicle, terrified. Luke had attacked Rey. There was no telling what he could, or more importantly, would do. Ren felt fear course through him, tightening his lungs. _No, I will not fear for the safety of a scavenger._ That fear was replaced by anger. Snoke was right. He had compassion for her. _Why?_ He asked himself. There was no satisfactory answer.

Ren went back to the bowls of the ship, the vault, where Vader's helmet was. For hours he sat, beating it into his brain that he was going to finish the work that Vader had begun. But that pull to the light. It strengthened in him, even as he stared at the deformed helmet. The voices that had led him away from his family, that intensified his hate, were gone. The only time Ren felt any contentment was when he was looking at Rey. He couldn't think about her unless he wanted Snoke to pry, or twist what Rey was to him. She shouldn't be anything to him, but he couldn't deny that she was something. _But what is she?_

Of course, the answer should be anything. She should be nothing but another target to exterminate. He had killed children; he had slaughtered traitors to the First Order. Why else had Hux not killed him, and he the same? Because they knew and followed through with what needed to be done. Ren didn't like that he was one of the leaders of the Order. He wanted someone to be telling him what he needed to do. He had no purpose than what was given to him by someone else. That was why he served under Snoke. But Snoke challenged him. Ren didn't want that. He liked being the soldier. He liked being the _scoundrel;_ it was one of the few gifts from his parents he enjoyed.

He was about to head back to Snoke's level, ask for an assignment, anything, when he stopped short. He already had an assignment. It was to bring in Rey, to have her either indoctrinated or killed. He didn't want either for her, not after...that night. Ren rubbed his hands together. Even though they were encased in leather, he felt the tingling of skin contact. A smile nearly spread on his lips at the memory.

_Crack_. Something had fallen, but Ren drew his Saber as if an enemy had snuck up behind him. He wasn't all too wrong. Hux stood about 5 feet away, hands clasped behind his back, suit immaculate.

"What do you want, Hux?" Ren tiredly growled. Hux's pallor was illuminated by the red glow of the lightsaber. He didn't speak until Ren shut the cackling machine off.

"We have just received a report of a division mutinying."

Ren's grip tightened on the Lightsaber. "What?"

Hux breezed by the question, fully knowing Ren knew what he had said. "On [a far off planet]. The commanding officer was killed. Should we send a destroyer to take out the traitors?" Hux relished that thought. Ren didn't reply immediately. Besides it hitting too close to home, this was something that needed tactics.

"No," he said, slowly. Hux let his surprise show, though half was mockery.

"Sir?"

"Shut this up. We do not need any more hope spreading." Ren turned on his heel and sped away, his mother's last words ringing in his ear. A headache forced Ren to rub his temples while walking through the monochrome halls. He passed troopers, terrified and livid that any number of them might desert. It was all because of FN-2187. He should have killed the trooper at the first battle the kid had been in. How many lives could have been saved if just that one tumor had been removed? How many lives are now in jeopardy of being plunged into the chaos that goes by the name _The New Republic_?

Two senior-level officers were conversing quietly. They stood at attention as Ren passed, and began to resume their conversation when Ren backtracked.

"Officers?"

"Oh, Um, Renee," the stern-faced, brunette female answered.

"And?"

"Officer Maverick," the blond-haired, male officer replied.

Ren eyed them over. Neither were like most of the other personnel; they didn't stare at his lightsaber or scar. "Tell the Trooper commanders to take inventory of their barracks and have each of the troopers sent to reconditioning."

Renee and Mavrick shared a glance, and Ren narrowed his eyes. They both straightened up and nodded, saluting. "Yes, sir."

"Very good. Report back to me, personally, when this is completed." He turned his heel and made his way back to his quarters. Ren needed alone time; there were many things to be considered and mulled over. 


	8. Voicing doubts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey begins to trust in the voices she gathered from Ach-To and Ren receives a visit from an old enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have taken the names of the Knights of Ren from Colin T's Duel of the Fates script, I claim no ownership over their character names.

"Oh hey, R2." A sequence _of electronic signals._ "I'm sorry we had to leave Luke!" R2 backed up and rolled away after a very vulgar remark. How the droid knew she was lying, she didn't know. Rey shook her head. They had dropped out of lightspeed a while back, headed towards the nearest inhabited planet. Chewie stayed in the cockpit, piloting them safely into the planet's atmosphere. Rey couldn't stop pacing back and forth while the ship descended. There was a noise in her head, cacophonous and distracting. She was beginning to feel guilty. Maybe she shouldn't have left that island....Maybe she couldn't read the books without Luke's help...was it wrong to leave just because he refused her for the second time? She took the lightsaber off her belt and tossed it between her hands. Ren had said it belonged to him. It had such a terrible history and an even worse future. It was the cause of so much pain, so many wars, so much death. A small voice inside her whispered that was what made it _hers_.

Rey put the lightsaber to the side and put her head in both hands. _What am I doing?_ She asked herself. The voices were starting to return. Rey leaned back and accidentally hit her head on the wall behind her. _Kriff,_ she mumbled. The headache that ensued shut out all the voices except one.

_"I was younger than you are now when I was given my first command. I led my men straight into a massacre. I witnessed their deaths first hand. I made every mistake, even when I had a Jedi master teaching me. You have many choices in front of you. We are here to help. Just quiet your mind."_

Such a kind voice had not graced Rey's ears for so long. It wasn't Leia's, but it came from someone who _felt_ like a mother. Rey nearly began crying.

"Leia would be so disappointed."

_"Why? Because you are living the way you have always lived?"_

Rey shook her head.

"Because I left Luke out of anger; because I wasn't able to save Han; because I went down to that...that pit, knowing it was the Dark Side pulling me in; because I am becoming worse than Kylo; because... I'm letting all this happen!"

_"Calm your mind, Rey. Let the Force flow through you. You felt that the Force is not good, nor evil, though you know all too well it is used for both. You are frightened because you feel you are going to use it for evil more than good. You fear this, and that is what makes you a good person, not just a good Jedi. The Jedi's time is up. Luke was right about that. We got corrupted from the inside out because we became complacent. We forgot the power that we held. It is time for a new generation to arise. So rise up, Rey. Rise up."_

Whoever had been speaking went away. A hollow feeling teetered on either emptying Rey or filling her up. She closed her eyes and sat rim rod straight. Breathe, she instructed herself. Breathe.

Rey let her heartbeat overcome her senses. A slow exhale flowed like a breeze around her. What should I do? There was no definitive answer, no audible word that answered her, but as she went over the options in her head, the path she was to take became clearer. When she opened her eyes, a wave of calm allowed all her muscles to release. Ok, she told herself, you can do this. She wouldn't let the other voices tell her the truth: this feeling of calm would not stay.

Chewbacca looked up from the console as Rey took the pilot's seat.

"There's something different about you," he commented. Rey nodded, focusing on the feeling of hope growing stronger within her ever second (because if she didn't, she knew she would shut down completely, and nothing she had seen would ever come true. Maybe that's a good thing, a slippery voice whispered at her.)

"What are we going to do?" Chewie clicked the security code for docking into the computer. They were granted clearance by an automated voice.

"We aren't going to go back for Luke. If he chooses to come out of isolation, good. If not, then we are going to find people who will help."

They docked. A new chapter was beginning to write itself. Rey knew it wasn't going to be read by her yet...her chapters hadn't quite ended. But it was a beginning. Luke might stay in his isolation, but Rey wasn't going to stay in hers.

\----------------------------------- 

Ren got reports back from Renee and Maverick. The entirety of Troopers on board Ren's ship were sent to reconditioning and a full, thorough, sweep of the cabins was made. Nothing was revealed that led the officers to believe a mutiny would arise. Ren dismissed Renee and Maverick but kept a mental note of their rank to make sure they were given a promotion.

He went about his duties when a call from the command deck ushered him upstairs. "What?" He demanded.

"Sir, the Knights of Ren have returned." A welcome report, finally.

"Send them to my level. I wish to speak to them alone. Before they speak to Snoke." Ren turned and headed to his personal level. It was, perhaps, one of the few places in the entire galaxy he felt comfortable. As a group, the Knights exited the elevator. They set down their wicked weapons and removed their identity concealing garb. Before Ren was a group of bipedals, mostly humanoids, however, twisted so their souls were no longer their own. When Ben Solo took on the name Kylo Ren, he assumed leadership over this unindividualistic group.

"What do you have to report?" He asked from his position on the couch. The green-haired bipedal spoke first.

"We have tracked the main distributers of Republic weaponry. There is still an undercover Trooper detail on them."

"Very good, Jaedec." Ren looked at the tallest of the group, a surly looking bipedal, also not quite human. He had shockingly violet eyes and blue-tinged skin. "Hattaska, what about the scavenger?"

He shook his head. "Nothing, Ren. She has disappeared. Even the ship. Not in the outer reaches, not in the main worlds. She seems to have disappeared altogether."

Ren's disbelief and rage shook the room. His eyes were deep and scarred. The scar on his face added a level of surrealness that made all the Knights back away, except Hattaska.

"I don't believe you." Ren growled. Hattaska stood his ground.

"Remember, Ren: You aren't supposed to feel for this girl. And we," he gestured to the rest of the defensive Knights, "aren't supposed to be the ones to find her and bring her in."

Ren kept his eyes locked with Hattaska. He sagged his shoulders, unwillingly agreeing that Hattaska was right.

"Is there any other news?" Ren began to pace the room, listening to the new statistics given by the Knights, but he wasn't processing any of that information. The Scavenger. He needed her. He needed to get to her. No. He needed her to stay hidden. No. Argh! Another headache ensued. Ren made his way to his bed and laid down, hand on the bridge of his nose. The Knights began conversing between themselves. Finally, Ren had enough of the chatter, which was of no use to him anymore. "Go report to Phasma and then Snoke. They are both eagerly waiting for your tales."

They all left in a group, donned their identity concealing garb, and grabbed their weapons before leaving on the elevator. Ren let his arm fall from the bridge of his nose to his stomach. Despite his headache, Ren's head was unnervingly empty. He wanted to make a plan. He wanted to learn more about the Force Bond. He had already searched all the First Order databases and found nothing. He searched the old Jedi and Sith texts, deep in the Order Archives. Nothing. His head was swimming too much to be angry about it at the moment. While trying to discern his true feelings about Rey and his purpose in life, he fell asleep.

Whispers. Whispers that did not grace his ears but made them bleed. They made him toss and turn like a prisoner bound to a weight and unable to run free. His own body kept him paralyzed, trapped in the hell he submitted himself to.

Flashes of blue, green, and red. Screams as his friends died under his saber and the weapons of the men he had commanded to walk away just before in waking hours. In the dream, they came after him. Rain pounded, it flooded the ground which moved like the tide on a beach. His hair stung his eyes. They were flooded with water, not just tears, but poison. It glowed red, flashed blue, then gasped. Mechanical inhaling stopped Ren's sleeping heart. He knew it. In dreams, of course. But also from stories told to him by Luke when he was young. Darth Vader.

He had to follow the sound. He waved his arms, trying to see through the poison fog. The sound was just out of his reach. He clawed through the red-tinged vapor. He was so close. The sound shifted. It was coming from behind him. No, to his right. Left. Above, below. He was surrounded.

"STOP!" He yelled, his hands up to his ears. He couldn't take the rhythmic sound anymore. At his yell, silence fell. "Tell me what to do, Grandfather!" His plea echoed. "TELL ME!"

"Do not follow in my footsteps, Ben. I made mistakes, terrible ones. Ones not to be idolized. Do not make my same mistakes."

The deep voice shook Ren, but he was not fulfilled. "Teach me! Teach me so I don't have to keep learning from him!"

A presence drew close to Ren. He felt it examining him like an animal to be slaughtered.

"She made the same plea." The voice murmured. "You and Rey are a Dyad in the Force. Use it well. This is a gift that has not been seen for millennia."

"A Dyad?" Ren questioned. The voice didn't reply. The eyes were off him, but something physical drew near. He reached for his lightsaber, but it was not on his waist.

A hideous face, scarred, deformed, with gaping eyes and chapped lips, appeared on a mechanical body. It half walked; half stumbled towards Ren. The suit he was wearing began to melt away as the form got clearer. Skin healed and sandy hair sprouted on the previously bald head.

"Grandfather?" Ren's knees swayed.

"Oh, Ben." Anakin cupped the face of his grandson in the exact way Han had. Ren stared into his grandfather's old eyes.

"I have given everything to the dark side, Grandfather," he said with trembling lips. "Why am I not fulfilled; why am I not as powerful as you?"

"Ben, you know that others love you. If you do want to surrender fully to the dark side, either kill them all and give in to the darkest powers or make sure you are falling for them. I let the dark side overcome me so I could save Padme. I was not told lies by the Emperor—the dark side is the pathway to many abilities some, most, would consider unnatural."

"So, teach me, teach me those unnatural abilities! I want my enemies to fear me, and I want to be able to keep the galaxy safe." Ren interjected. Anakin stared him down until Ren hung his head in shame and silence.

"But! You forget that the Force itself is an unnatural ability some would consider unnatural. It does not have to be used for evil to give you strength." Anakin looked at his mechanical arm, reminiscing. "You have a choice to make, Ben."

"I have all the choices to make. I don't want to make them." Ren confessed.

"Grow up," Anakin stared at him with hawk-like eyes. "You are a general. If you want to finish what I started, make decisions. Make bad ones, make good ones. Learn from your mistakes. But do not follow my own—those you should have already learned from." That biting remark angered Ren because it left an aching feeling in his chest; an empty feeling telling him it was the truth. Anakin disappeared wearing the same black suit he materialized from, with the same scarred head and mechanical breathing.

He's not free, Ren observed. His own breathing quickened; his heart rate increased. The fog began closing in on him. He brought his hand up to his mouth, trying, unsuccessfully, to block out the toxins.

_Thump._

"Ow." 


	9. Fight back

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey gets in a squabble, as does Ren. Their paths seem to be diverging quicker than either want. (Rey needs more time to learn about the Force; is this an advantage in battle or a disadvantage? Either way, her skills with her staff and Lightsaber are still formidable)

The ship docked. Rey, Chewie, and R2 left the Falcon for some time on land. They weren't in the best town—vastly populated and scummy—but it worked; they wouldn't be noticed and they could refuel. Rey wandered off as Chewie got in contact with a buddy of his for a discount on supplies. R2 followed Rey.

"Where are you going?" R2 beeped. Rey didn't stop walking.

"I have a feeling, R2." And that was all she said about that. That feeling led her through many sublevel streets. She passed some children, one of which had something special about her. Rey smiled at the little child. She stopped and watched the girl and five of her friends toss around a sphere. They were locked into an intense game when the ball went flying. It bounced off several walls and landed in a dark alley. Immediately, the children disbanded.

"Why don't they just go and get it?" Rey asked R2, who couldn't answer. She turned towards the little girl, who had picked a piece of fruit up off the ground. "Why don't you just go get the ball?"

The little girl's petrified eyes hurt Rey to her core. She was remembering her own childhood years in the desert of Jakku, almost getting kidnapped several times until she established herself as a fighter.

"Are you alone?" Rey asked the girl, kneeling down to match eye level. The little girl nodded. "Have you seen people go into that alley and never come out?" She nodded again. Rey stood up; grim determination set in. "I'll bring out the ball. Just wait, ok?" This time, the girl shook her head. Rey took the little girl's hand. "I'll come out. I promise."

Rey braced herself. She took her staff off her shoulder and walked into the dark alleyway. It took a long time for her eyes to adjust, but once they did, Rey saw the ball in the back corner among the litter. She began to walk to it when the alleyway was closed off by a blast door. She readied her staff. 4 assailants appeared: one descended in front of her, two behind, and one popped up out of a cart of junk.

"Little Missyyyy," A slithery voice came from the shadows from her left.

"What is she?" The grey cloaked one behind her asked. "Food? Or toy?" The sound of a Shocker brought a snarl out of Rey's mouth.

With one sweep of her staff, she knocked the Shocker out of the Blue hued alien's hand and wacked the cart hider over with butt of her staff. The two from behind recovered and rammed against her, closing in the distance. She squirmed around, elbowing the lone yellow-jacketed attacker behind her in the face and kneed the grey cloaked one in its unsavory spot. Using the momentum from her kick, she rammed the lone attacker behind her into the backmost wall. The fourth one from the cart began to stand up. Rey Pushed him down again and summoned the ball, which flew into her hand. She pocketed it just as the four assailants closed in as one.

Cartie grabbed her legs, yellow jacket put her in a headlock and the grey cloak yanked her staff away; in doing so, slicing open her forearm. The fourth retrieved the Shocker and advanced. By some miracle, Rey snatched the Lightsaber off her belt, ignited it, and, losing consciousness, swung wildly.

The grey cloaked attacker was sliced clean in half. So was the handkerchief holder. The attacker behind Rey let go and tried to throw her away, but the cart hider, still holding onto her feet, made her trip. She fell face first, but pushed up just as quickly, stabbing down through the main body of the cart attacker, slicing his arms off so she could run free. The fourth attacker could not scale the wall and Rey sliced his head clean off.

Her breathing was labored. Pain coursed through her arm and head as she bent down to grab her staff. A small lifeform scurried out from the cart and Rey, still having the lightsaber ignited, swung down to kill it—her arm stopped mid arc. Horror slackened her face. Adrenaline still coursed through her but the images were clear. She just killed 4 creatures, almost 5, without having a second thought. She picked up her staff, not allowing for any other thoughts or realizations to terrorize her until she was back in the light. Keeping her head down, she almost ran into R2, who was immobile. An electronic inhibitor had been placed on him. Rey bent down and pried the inhibitor off. It took a moment, but R2 booted back up.

"What happened?" He beeped. Rey sighed. Even though Droids didn't have faces, she knew R2 was able to tell something was wrong. Rey hooked the Lightsaber back onto her belt and shouldered her staff while standing. She spun around too quickly from R2 and bonked into the blast wall.

"R2, can you open this?" She leaned her head back to staunch the blood pouring from her nose.

R2 gave a series of beeps, and after a moment of tinkering with the circuitry, the blast door opened. They exited to a small crowd. The little girl ran up to her, the largest smile on her face. Rey remembered the ball and dug it out of her sack, giving it back to the little girl. She watched the girl meet back up with her friends, and they resumed tossing the ball. Rey let a teeny smile move her face; she would remember that girl.

"Let's just go, R2."

They walked back in the direction of the Falcon, trying to hurry so the mob couldn't find them. Of course, R2 had to stop. He beeped frantically after Rey.

"What?" she demanded.

"Over there," he beeped.

"A resistance weapons manufacturer? Here? Well, that makes sense...." Hearing the word resistance automatically made Rey's hand gravitate to her left wrist. The beacon. Her wrist was covered in blood but no bracelet. Rey frantically turned around, heading back towards the alley. After pushing through a swarm of people, she found the beacon... smashed.

"No, no, no, no!" She held the smashed article in her bloodstained fist. The last thing Leia gave to her, and the only way to get back to her friends. Different colors of life support liquid were merging together from her fallen attackers. Bile rose in Rey's throat.

"We need to leave." She broke into a run, pushing onlookers out of her way. That caught the attention of some Stormtroopers, who called for her to stop and when she didn't, drew their weapons. Rey grabbed the Lightsaber and deflected the blasts, surprising herself. Again, something she absorbed from Kylo. The Stormtroopers started to call in reinforcements. Rey stopped running away and began running towards the troopers. She sliced off their hands, rendering their blasters useless. She stood over the fallen Troopers with the lightsaber ignited. There was a burning feeling that pulsated and grew from the pain in her arm.

"Kill them," she heard. Whether it was in her head or not, she didn't know. Either way, she deactivated the lightsaber and wacked the Stormtroopers unconscious with her staff.

Two teenagers grabbed the blasters and admired them. Several older folks began to clap. Rey had to get out of there. She hooked the lightsaber back onto her belt and booked it back to the Falcon. She needed to get off that planet and back to her friends. She couldn't be alone anymore. She might have Chewie, but she needed Finn; she needed someone close, and everyone else who she knew loved her was dead. And that was because she hadn't defeated Kylo Ren. So many more thoughts invaded, agonizing and spiteful.

Chewie watched her run into the ship. After quickly dismissing himself from the conversation with his buddy, he climbed into the Falcon. Rey was at the sink, frantically trying to wash off the blood from her arm. Chewie backed into the main area of the ship and grabbed some bandages from the Medkit. Rey was still scrubbing her arm when Chewie finally made his presence known.

_"Here, let me help,"_ he said, holding out the bandages. Rey recoiled, clutching her arm close to her chest. _"Rey, it's ok, it's ok,"_ Chewie stooped low to look into her clearly frightened face. She was staring at her bloodstained hands and clothing. Chewie soaked one of the bandages and handed it to her. _"Let's get this fixed, then we can get in the air, ok?"_

She nodded, taking the wet bandage. Chewie left her to clean up and change and started up the engines. He hoped she would come back soon: the group of armed mercenaries did NOT look good to him. 

\---------------------------------

Ren pushed himself off the floor. His heart was still beating erratically, but he was awake, not trapped in a paralyzed body anymore. The bell from the elevator rung and Hux exited into the threshold of Ren's quarters.

"You look awful," he snidely commented. Ren nodded his head, patting down his sweat-soaked clothing. He fully stood up, slicking his hair out of his eyes. Hux's eyes narrowed.

"Yeah, I know," Ren snapped back. "What do you want, Hux?"

Hux stepped further into Ren's quarters. He wasn't a tiny man, but in Ren's view, he was. "Did you not think that Snoke would find out you spoke to the Knights first?" His tone was dangerous; a carnivorous gleam danced in his eyes.

Ren eyed this little angry man in front of him. It was a dare, a test of his patience and emotions. He looked down at Hux, meeting those snake-like eyes. "I would be careful of your taunts, General."

Hux looked at Ren's gloved hand and scoffed. "I do not fear the 'powers' that you use to lord over so many beings." He turned his heel, a satisfied smile on his pale lips. "Snoke wants the girl. Now, Ren. I suggest you don't fail him." He turned to leave Ren's quarters.

"Wait." Ren barked. Hux stopped, glowering. "Is that all you came to tell me?"

Hux backtracked. "What else would there be to tell you, Ren? That is, if you can already see everything except the girl?" He left the quarters with an extremely agitated inhabitant.

Ren watched him leave. _Slimy little man,_ he thought. Hux got on Ren's last good nerve. There was something so unsettling about the eternally hungry gleam that consumed his oh so human eyes. He took his soaked gloves off and placed them in a personal washer next to the bathroom sink. Ren studied the eyes that stared back at him in the mirror. He wondered what kind of person really rested behind them. What kind of person would have been there if he didn't have the Force, and if those terrifying voices hadn't been there before he could think for himself? But any other person he could have been could not and would not be. Ren dried his hands off slowly, feeling confidence, possibly recklessness, well up within him. He was the creator of his destiny; his grandfather had shown him that. Luke never completed his training. Snoke tried, but thought he was already powerful—right? Ren froze, coming to the realization that Snoke never finished his Jedi training so he could keep him under his influence; to keep him restrained. That meant that Snoke was afraid of him. A chilling smile erupted on Ren's face. He had the blood of a scoundrel and princess in his veins. He was the grandson of the Chosen One. He was more powerful than any Sith or Jedi just by his blood.

_Grow up, do not follow my mistakes..._

That wiped the smile from his face. His grandfather was not keeping him from the dark side, but he was urging him not to forget that the power he held could also be used for good. Good? Ren almost scoffed, but the voice of his mother, her last words--everything she stood for--was pulling him towards the light. Where there had just been confidence, there was now uncertainty. Ren knew he was powerful, that couldn't be denied. Snoke was the first problem. If he got rid of Snoke, he could get to the Scavenger. She wouldn't have to die. She could join him; they could rule together. Hope would be kindled in him and the rest of the galaxy could finally be in order. Everything was falling in place.

The blaring alarm cut off Ren's thoughts. A ship was approaching. He felt someone--her.

\---------

Chewie made evasive maneuvers to get out of the line of fire from the mercenaries. A few jumped into their own ships and flew after them. Bolts of green light fired at the Falcon.

"I'm on it!" Rey yelled. She taped her arm up and raced down to the gunner's position. She began to fire back, missing at first, then finally hit one of the chaser's wings, making them spiral out of the fight. There were still four in the air, and Chewie's flight instruments told him more were inbound.

"Jump to Lightspeed!" Rey yelled. Chewie roared back that he was trying. "The compressor! You gotta prime it!"

Rey kept firing, but two of the ships were closing in. Chewie made a barrel roll, and Rey shot twice more before the ship went into Lightspeed. They appeared in the middle of nowhere, no stars, no planets or moons, just empty space.

"Why are we in the middle of nowhere? We're sitting targets!" Rey hopped off the ladder. Pain shot up her arm and head. She still had a headache, but this was more of a warning; the voices were gone, too. Rey shook her head, blocking out the incoming Bond.

"I don't know!" Chewie told her, frantically trying buttons and levers.

"Did the compressor blow out?" Rey headed over to the Copilot wall and opened a panel. She had bypassed the compressor before. "Oh, no." She began to hurry about, keeping her mind focused on the task at hand. She grabbed some tools and went to work. After about half an hour of tinkering, Rey slid into the co pilot's seat. "Alright, I think it's good now." She began to prime the compressor and got to the GPS and stopped. She bit her lip, trying to suppress the tears of panic that were welling up.

"I don't know where to go." She looked at Chewie and shrugged hopelessly. "The beacon was smashed. I don't know where to find them." She was still looking at Chewie and he began to fade to black. No, no, no! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Unlike Broom Boy at the end of The Last Jedi, you will see the little girl from this chapter again!


	10. Too far gone but too close for comfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey formulates a plan and Chewie interferes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, It'll be made up next chapter though. And also Happy Easter!

"Where are you?"

Rey didn't even blink. "You'd want to know." She retorted. Ren nodded.

"Yes, I do want to know. You seem to have dropped off the edge of the galaxy." He studied her; this was their first time seeing each other in a while. "You're hard to find."

"You're hard to get rid of." Rey stood up shakily, only being able to see Ren in front of her. Even Chewie's roar was muffled, and he was right next to her. She saw Ren close his eyes. "What are you doing?"

"I know you are on a ship. I may not be able to control you through this, but maybe I can find where you are...." His eyes flew open, pupils dilated.

"What?" Rey saw the sudden change in his appearance. Ren shifted out of the black tunnel. Rey had to move around the cockpit of the Falcon to keep him in view. His back was turned to her. She couldn't see what he was looking at, so she watched his fingers tapping away at his thighs. A green bolt of light illuminated Ren's figure as he turned back around.

"They're firing back, how pitiful!" Rey chuckled darkly to himself while making eye contact with Rey. She was gripping her arm, fingers digging into the skin above the wound, trying to make it numb. Pain creased her face, but more notably to Ren, a glazed look settled over her eyes.

"What happened to the arm?"

Rey stopped squeezing her arm and opened her mouth to come up with an explanation, but no words came out. Anger and tears lumped up her throat. Ren stepped closer, trying to gauge the emotions conflicting within her.

"You killed, didn't you?"

Rey looked him square in the eyes. "Yes."

_Why does she look so broken yet sound so confident?_ Ren nodded his head. "Out of self-defense, no?" He nodded towards her hurt arm. Her response was not as brash as the first.

"Yes."

"Then why do you look like you are haunted?"

_Why is he asking me this?_

"Because I'm not like you. I don't enjoy killing." _And I don't regret it._

"I don't enjoy the killing, only the reward it often brings."

How is there a reward from killing?

"You feel the pain and you grow from it. You don't have to regret."

_Stop reading my mind,_ she commanded silently. She felt his presence withdraw. 

"I don't have to read your mind, Rey." A pause. "Where are you? Let me help you, Rey."

Her head had been swimming but this snapped her out of it. "Stop saying my name. I don't want your help. And your master still wants me dead, no?"

"When he finds out you've already killed, he will want to find out your potential; he doesn't want to kill you, Rey."

"Just like you don't want to kill me? Pssh." She braced herself against a wall. She bit her lip and shook her head, eyes closed from her pain. "Leave." She opened her eyes, and he was just standing there, looking with pity. She didn't want pity from anyone, much less that murderer. "Leave!"

"Sir, there have been reports of two officers on the planet Corellia being disarmed. Literally, sir. That, along with the murder of 4 known hunters in the same quad."

Ren nodded solemnly at the person, who Rey couldn't see. "It is the girl. Go, send scouts, though I do believe she is already long gone by now. Is there anything else, Lieutenant?"

"Yes, sir. There is a planet in the distance, Crait. We believe the Resistance is headed there, although there are no known bases or lifeforms of any threat to us. Sir, we are not within sight for a killing shot at the Resistance ships. We are awaiting your orders."

The unknown voice, although muffled and slightly distorted, captured Rey's attention. She perked right up, and Ren saw that. He side-eyed her before giving his command to the lieutenant. "Go ahead and fire at the space below the freighters, make sure there are no cloaked escape pods below the main cruisers. I will join Captain Phasma on the main deck in a few moments." He nodded at the Lieutenant's salute and turned back to Rey. "Give me your exact coordinates. We can help each other, Rey."

Rey shook her head, through the pain and confusion a plan was evolving. "No." She mustered her strength and pushed off the wall she had been leaning on. "Leave me."

Her hazel eyes bore into Ren's own black ones as the Bond closed. Ren shook his head. So she's doing this the hard way. He got into his elevator and made his way to the command deck.

"When a small freighter appears, tow it in. I want the crew brought to me."

Rey closed her eyes, shaking off the feeling of Ren's boring into them. "Chewie?" She turned around, terrified she wasn't on the Falcon anymore. She heard the familiar whine of affirmation. "We need to set a course for the system of Crait. That's where the rest of the resistance is."

"That's where Ren is, too." Chewie pointed out. Rey nodded solemnly. The thought sickened her, but if she was going to go into the very obvious trap, she would at least make sure the ship could help the Resistance.

"It is." She pressed buttons, "it's a trap. But I have to see if there is anything left...." She finished the sequence on the ship's computer. Chewie put his paw on her hand. She hadn't realized how heavy she was breathing.

"Anything left of Ren, the Resistance...or you?"

Rey set her jaw. "All the above." She nodded grimly and Chewie took his paw off her hand. Streaks of stars and planets jumped in front of their eyes as they reached lightspeed. They were on the other side of the galaxy before they knew it, but not where Rey had planned the coordinates. "Chewie, what did you do?"

He whined but did not answer. Rey's eyes darted to the navicomputer. Chewie took that distraction to turn the ship around. A large planet, mostly white and red, filled the window.

"Where are we, Chewie?" Rey's tone was dangerous. There was a way she flexed her fingers that made Chewie's muscles tense like the person in front of her was a threat.

"We are at Crait, but I wanted for you to hear something before you go sacrifice yourself." Of course, that was all in Shriiwook, but Rey got the gist. She still felt hostile, but Chewie wasn't trying to completely keep her from her plan, just hindering her. His hand went to the comm board. It took a moment, but the transmission came through. A heartwarming, familiar voice crackled over the frequency.

"This is Leia Organa. We are the last of the Resistance, trying to evade the First Order. We are low on fuel and we need reinforcements. If anyone can hear us, please, help us. This is not where hope dies."

Hearing Leia's voice made Rey tear up. She grabbed the mic. "Hello, this is the Rey and Chewie on the Millennium Falcon, we can hear you!"

"Rey?" The voice was distorted by bad connection, but it seemed unmistakable: Finn.

"Finn!" Rey nearly shrieked. "You're alive!" She imagined him scrambling to grip the comm.

"Sorry to disappoint, but this is not Finn. This is Poe Dameron of the Resistance. Who is this again?" The voice was too gruff to be Finns, Rey realized.

"This is Rey...."

"Wait--Rey? The Rey? The one Finn talked about?"

"Yes! Where is Finn?"

There was a pause. Rey sensed anxiousness. "Finn left on a secret mission to disable something on the Emperor's ship." A break in the transmission. "Where are you; how are you in range? We can't see you; you aren't on our scanners."

Rey's heart skipped a few beats as Chewie saw the color drain out of her face as her brain worked. On the Emperor's ship..."We are here, behind Crait."

"Great!" The first time Poe seemed to have any emotion other than seriousness. "You're on the Falcon, right? Come over here and help us with that fancy flying."

Rey sat back. Her mind was set, more so than it had been before. The voices in her head tried to pipe up but she closed her fist, trying to stop everything. "I—I'm glad you guys are still alive. I'm here to make sure it stays that way." She let go of the radio, continuing to stare at the looming planet in front of them. "Chewie, put in these coordinates," she handed him a datapad so no one could hear them. Finn was trying to say something but Rey tuned him out. She picked up the receiver and held the mic close to her lips. "I'm sorry."

She turned off the receiver as Chewie finished plugging in the coordinates. She bent down and gave him a rare hug before walking out of the cockpit, down to the escape pods. She powered it up, made sure she had the lightsaber and a few nifty trinkets she picked up from around the ship. Chewie put the ship into hyperspace.

No turning back now.


	11. Fulfill your--

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't change much from the cannon episode 8 scene; I don't own any copyright to these characters or setting.

"No sign of any freighters yet, sir." Maverick caught up to Ren, who was nervously (Maverick assumed) pacing the flight deck floor of the ship. Ren, with his hands clasped behind his back, continuously walked about with a furrowed brow and quickened step. He nodded at Maverick but continued walking. Watching Ren spin about at every length of the wall was making Maverick dizzy.

"Sir, what should we do if the ship fires at us?"

Ren shook his head but did not stop pacing. "She will not shoot at us. And even if she did...our defense systems will do nothing about it. I will handle this matter myself."

Maverick saluted and walked away. He did not think Ren was making the wisest decision, but he had been promoted by him and Maverick would not interfere with the man's personal agenda. Just as he was about to walk off the floor, sure enough, a freighter exited from Hyperspace. They did not fire at the Starship, instead, an escape pod jettisoned from the freighter and the pod headed towards the open hanger. Ren stopped pacing and followed the pod's trajectory with his eyes and walked to about where the pod would land. Maverick's instincts were to go in and investigate, but Renee's voice over the comm startled him from any brash action.

"What is it?" Maverick left the scene at the hanger and moved towards the elevator.

"You know who's on that freighter. This ship is going to blow. We need to tell our superiors about it." Renee's voice was low and steady. A slight inflection on the word 'superiors' sent the real message.

Maverick nodded to himself and boarded the elevator. "I'm joining you now, Renee. See you in a few."

The elevator door closed, just as any sense of security evaporated.

\--------

The escape pod opened up with a hiss. Vapor poured out and cleared for Rey to see the face of Kylo Ren looming over her. She sat up and gazed at the cavernous hanger around her. It was filled with a battalion of Troopers, all at guard. Two approached her, one holding a pair of restraints menacingly. Ren stood to the side as she swung her legs out of the pod and stood up.

"Weapons check."

"I have none," Rey lied, with the lightsaber clearly on the backside of her belt. The guard with cuffs secured her arms while the other Trooper began to frisk her for any other (and more disclosed) weaponry. She closed her eyes, telling any panic to go away, and called on the Force so that the guard would miss the little oddities she hid on her person. They grabbed the lightsaber from her belt and turned around to report to Ren, who was handed the lightsaber.

"No weapons?" He nearly smirked.

"Oh? I thought you mentioned that," she nodded towards the saber, "belonged to you."

Ren let a short, snide laugh escape him as he put the lightsaber on the left side of his belt and took Rey's arm, escorting her from the hanger. Four troopers made a movement to join them, but Ren waved them off. They walked a short way to one of the completely enclosed elevators. Ren let Rey walk in first, entered the level he wanted on the outside pad, and stood next to Rey as the doors closed.

"You're not surprised I'm here, are you?" She asked, looking at the black wall in front of her. Ren kept staring straight ahead as well.

"No, I am not surprised. I know you stole information from my head when I broke into yours. We think more alike than you'd care to admit."

Rey turned around to face him. She had to almost crane her neck to meet his eye level. "I learned a lot from you that day," she admitted. "I learned that you are still conflicted."

Ren lowered his gaze to meet hers. He didn't speak immediately; he was reading her mind, and again hit a mental block, this one stronger and not as deep as the last. "I learned you're still scared, but not of me. Not directly, at least." He watched her squirm and put up all her defenses. "You have darkness in you, Rey. Join me--"

Rey searched his eyes and cut him off. "And you still have light within you, Ben." Sharp was the tone of his given name as if saying it so vehemently could banish the darkness brought on by his adopted one. Ren sighed and the elevator opened. He grabbed Rey's upper arm and made her march slightly in front of him into their destination.

The red-walled room was massive, more decorative and intimidating than of practical use. Rey's eyes traveled first to the one not-First Order colored item: an ugly creature in a sparkly yellow robe sitting on a throne. There was a slight movement out of the corner of her eye and the eight guards, four on either side of the throne, became visible to her.

"Well done, my good and faithful apprentice." Gravelly was the voice that came from the robe wearer. Rey tugged her arm out of Ren's grasp and stood tall as Ren kneeled. "My faith in you is restored." The pale headed creature turned his attention to Rey. "Young Rey." He studied her from afar, as she did the same.

A large gash lopsided his already out of proportion head. Sunken eyes and concave cheeks, a spindly neck and wiry bone fingers barely covered with flesh made this creature a terrible sight to behold. But he wasn't scary, not to Rey. She had grown up with monsters around her all her life. No, the scariest one in the room was Ren...the one that looked just like her, talked like her, felt the same as her. But again, she hadn't seen what this creature could do and he felt powerful. 

"Welcome."

The restraints fell of Rey's wrists. She waved her hands about, getting circulation back into her fingers.

"Come closer, child," the creature beckoned Rey. She didn't move. He seemed pleased by this.

"So much strength. Yes," he changed his gaze from Rey to Ren. "Darkness rises, and light to meet it. I warned my young apprentice that as he grew stronger in the dark, his equal would rise."

The Skywalker lightsaber flew from its clip on Ren's belt into the creature's hand. "Skywalker," he laughed, "I assumed." He placed the lightsaber down onto the armrest of the throne. "Wrongly."

Rey nodded her head in understanding. At least she knew she was not a Skywalker. Why she trusted the slimy creature's words about that, she didn't know except for a feeling.

"Come closer, I said."

Rey's feet lifted up, not of her own accord. Her toes dragged along the floor as an invisible force careened her forward to the creature's outstretched hand. "You underestimate me. And Ben. It will be your downfall." She stopped, maybe a foot away from his face.

"Oh? Have you seen something?" The creature searched Rey's face, coldness breezing through his eyes. "A weakness in my apprentice, perhaps? I have seen it too, since the beginning."

Ren kept his head bowed, still kneeling. Cold anger ran through him; Vader's words rang loud and clear in his mind. Snoke can't know, he can't know. He won't know.... _Think, think! Vader's last act..._ Ren could almost see the triumphant moment that turned Vader and saved the universe. Ren always wanted to follow in those footsteps...maybe this was his chance, he could follow in Vader's footsteps but not follow in where he failed.

"Is that why you came?" The creature Ren called Snoke began to laugh. Ren's balance wobbled as a door shut on his mind. "Young fools; it was I that bridged your minds!"

Rey resisted the urge to look back at Ren, who snapped his head up, disbelieving. _No, it couldn't have been him. It couldn't have been Snoke that created this bond between us. We are more than his pawns; I am not just his pawn_. 

"I stoked Ren's conflicted soul, knowing he was not strong enough to hide it from you."

Rey couldn't hear him over the sights and sounds of a thousand memories like knives piercing her mind. Anger began to course through her, and there was no reason she should stop it.

"And you were not wise enough to resist the bait." Snoke brought up his hand. Rey slapped it away. "Oh hoho, feisty." Snoke cackled again, keeping his cold gaze on her. "You will bring me Skywalker. Then you shall die with the cruelest stroke."

"No." Rey spat in his face. Without another word, she began to rise up into the air, thrown back and held in place. Something white-hot probed her mind and she could not hold back the pain.

"Give me...everything."

"No. No!"

Light. Darkness. Lightning. Falling. Red and green, blue and purple. Peace and rage, silence and thunderous noise. All of this in one instant, nearly collapsing Rey's mind. Tears were streaming down her cheeks, and her fingers spasmed. Ren watched helplessly, still kneeling before his master. But he felt Rey's anger, and his own was kindled by it. Anger became rage, and rage became power. He felt his muscles twitch. A snarl crossed his chapped lips.

Rey fell from the air. Her throat hurt and body ached, but she looked for any weapon around as she pushed herself over. Eight guards and her lightsaber was next to Snoke. Ren was still kneeling, still trapped in this lie.

"Well, well! I did not expect Skywalker to be so wise! Coward." Snoke laughed, sending chills down even Ren's spine. "We will give him the death he and the Jedi Order so deserve."

Rey hopped up and called the lightsaber next to Snoke back to her hand. It brushed her fingers, whipping around past her. She followed it and it bonked her upside the head, landing back unto its place on the armrest of the throne.

"Such spunk." Snoke shook his head as if amused and Forcefully dragged Rey over to a viewing window. "The entirety of the Resistance is on those transports. Pitiful."

One of the transports exploded, and Rey gasped. Finn...Poe. Everyone, helpless.

"Soon, they will all be gone. After the Resistance is eliminated, we will go to the Jedi's planet and destroy it once and for all."

Rey looked back at Snoke, seething. He countered with reckless confidence. "All is lost for you, little one."

_No, it's not._ Ren was frozen, barely present in the moment. Rey reached out, and Ren's lightsaber flew into her hand. She ignited it, swinging back for a blow. All eight of the guards readied their weapons. Snoke merely waved his hand for the guards to back down.

"Oh, this fiery spit of hope left. You have the spirit of a true Jedi!"

Rey attempted to attack but was tossed to the side as if she were a fly being swatted away. "And because of that, you must die." Snoke gravely stated.

Her head hit the floor and the lightsaber slipped out of her hand, landing to spin at Ren's feet. He had been hoping for a sign. This was it.

Rey was forced to her knees and faced towards Ren.

"My worthy apprentice," Snoke began, "Son of Darkness, heir apparent to Lord Vader. Where there was conflict, I now sense resolve. Where there was weakness, strength."

Ren watched Rey struggle against the invisible bonds that kept her at bay before him.

"Complete your training, and fulfill your destiny."

Ren picked up his lightsaber. It had been used to kill so many, why would this one be any different? Hearing the words from Snoke made the whole thing sound easy, just another mission. But when he gazed into Rey's eyes, eyes that held a broken soul but still a fighting spirit because of **hope** , his resolve was made concrete. He stood up. Not breaking eye contact with Rey, he spoke.

"I know what I have to do." _And this time I have the strength to do it._

Rey shook her head ever so slightly. "Ben..." _Please don't do this. Please. I know there's good in you_. But her words could not be heard by him. They were heard by Snoke, though.

"You think you can turn him? Pathetic child. I cannot be betrayed; I cannot be beaten. I see into his mind; I see his every intent. Yes. I see him turning to strike."

Ren slowly turned his lightsaber in his right hand, pointing where the blade would shoot out into Rey's chest, but his left hand turned secretly by his thigh. As he turned his hands, the lightsaber on Snoke's throne began to turn.

"I see him turning the lightsaber to strike true. And now, foolish child," he taunted Rey, who had tears leaking out of her eyes, unable to read Ren's true intentions. "He ignites it, and kills his true enemy!"

Ren snapped his hand shut, and the Skywalker saber ignited. Rey fell to the ground, no longer being held by the Force. She glanced up to see the blue saber impaling Snoke. Ren unclenched his fist and the Saber flew towards him, blade still ignited. Rey's hand flew up and she caught the hilt. She shakily stood. For a moment, Ren couldn't take his eyes off his dead master. But when his gaze shifted from the dead man to Rey, very much alive and breathing and ready to fight, he nodded his head.

_You go right, I go left?_ Rey asked in her head.

_Yep._ Ren breathed his first free breath, and possibly last. Neither realized the bond was still working as they dove in to fight the Praetorian guards. 


	12. You can't go, I can't stay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Rey fight the Praetorian guards  
> Both try to make the future they saw happen

Rey had four guards on her. She made a wide arc with the saber, expecting at least one of the guards to be lived in half, but no. They just kept coming. There was a wave of anger growing inside of her, beside her panic. It leeched out of her fingers and with a cry the four guards were Pushed backward. Though surprised, she used this to her advantage and found a weakness in their armor, their necks. She cut the first guard's head clean off and she grabbed its staff. The three guards were back up. A whip cracked and Rey felt her leg pulled out from beneath her. She fell face first. Her left arm was screaming at her, but she didn't care. She pushed herself back up and finally caught the whip on the blade of her staff. She drew the whip handler close and ignited her saber straight through its neck.

Ben was making wide, dangerous arcs with his lightsaber, but one of the guards was hanging back. Ben turned when Rey cried out, and the guard struck. Ben fell to his knee holding his hand to his neck. His eyebrows creased, his cheeks winced and his eyes danced wildly. His hand came away bloody. Yet Ben smiled. the guards visibly backed away as he stood up, blood pulsating towards the gash but not coming out. Ben used this moment to lunge and strike, taking out two more of the guards. Four were left between the two of them. 

Rey stopped, short of breath. Ben had been hurt, badly, and she felt it. No matter. She bent over, her small frame practically a stepping stool that the guard hurdles over. While it had not been anticipated, with Rey blind, looking at the floor, her other attacker struck for her leg, opening a large gash. Though Rey had doubled over for an advantage, she collapsed; now her entire left side practically useless. A spear was flying towards her head, as though in slow motion. She slapped it away with her lightsaber and pushed herself up with the staff in her left hand, though her arm nearly gave away. 

Ben tore the nunchucks from his adversary, wrapped them around their owner's neck, and then decapitated the guard with his lightsaber. 

"Duck!" He yelled, and Rey did. The nunchucks sailed through the air, finding their mark on the other side of the room, behind Rey, who spun around and thrust her spear forward, causing the Guard behind her to stumble slightly, and then she struck, taking off his head. Two guards were left.

Rey finally found a match, and also realized she missed her long staff as she swung around with the Guards. She blocked, parried, practically danced with her final adversary. Her right arm was hit, she doubled over when the guard began to fight dirty, punching her in the gut. She bared her teeth and lunched, but he seemed to have gotten used to her tactics. Her made to sweep her feet from beneath her and she tried to jump but her injured leg refused. She tried to catch herself but toppled. the guard wrenched her lightsaber from her hand and activated it. She had to duck, stumble, roll and painfully jump to avoid the blade. The staff was finally knocked from her hands. Out of desperation and hate, she held her hands out. The guard stopped. It sounded like he was gurgling. The lightsaber clattered to the ground as he scratched at his neck. Rey didn't think of it as she bent down, grabbed the saber, and ignited it through the Guard's hands and neck. 

Ben tried to strike through the guard's armor, but the guard was too smart and used Ben's lunge forward, grabbed his arm, and slapped the lightsaber from his hand. It clattered to the floor. Ben tried to strike with his elbows, but the guard, although weaponless, had been in a chock hold. The fell to the floor, Ben trying to reach his lightsaber, the guard, trying to reach his sword. His vision was going black, so Ben took one look at Rey. Seh just finished off her opponent and looked around. Her eyes met his. 

"Ben!" Rey threw the Skywalker saber at him. He grabbed it and winced at the noise so close to his ear. The guard stopped strangling him and went limp. Ben rolled over, picked up his saber, and painfully pushed himself up. Rey hobbled over. Their eyes met. 

_This is it_ , he thought. _We can be together now_. He crossed the room to get to her, but a clouded look overcame her. "What?" He mouthed. Her eyes left his and she pointed at the 'window' revealing fleeing Resistance fleet.

"There's still time to save them! Call off the attack."

Ren couldn't look at her. Confusion ran rampant through his mind. His feet turned, and he finally saw what he had done. Snoke's bottom half was still on the throne, but his torso was fallen on the floor, face down. As if he were finally bowing to Ren himself.

"Ben?" Rey's voice made him snap out of the grandeur of the moment.

"It's time to let old things die." His eyes would not move away from Snoke's body, so he pried them away. "Snoke, Skywalker, the Sith, the Jedi. The Resistance."

"And the First Order." Rey interjected. She had seen how he looked at Snoke's body. "You're the Supreme leader now, right? Call off the attack!"

"Rey," he tried to slow his breathing as he extended his hand, "join me. We can rule together and bring a new order to the galaxy! We can finally succeed where the old Empire failed! Together!" His lip trembled, and the cascading sparks from burning walls filled his deeply emotional eyes.

Rey closed her eyes, hoping this entire ordeal was just another nightmare or even a memory from one of the voices. "Don't do this, Ben. Please don't do this." Take off this persona. "If you want to let the old things die you would leave the First Order! Don't go this way," she pleaded.

"No, no. You're still holding on! Let go!"

The shake of her head was slight but very much perceivable. Time to bargain. "Do you want to know the truth about your parents?" Ren let his voice soften. His major chip was out on the table. Rey closed her eyes, biting her lip. Don't fall for it, don't fall for it. Ren saw she wouldn't stay, even if he didn't tell her.

"Or have you always known? At least suspected. But you buried it. You couldn't let them abandoning you stop from living. Except that still happened."

Rey set her foot down hard. "Stop..." her voice quivered.

Ren knew he had her in his grasp. "You've always known the truth. Say it."

Tears streamed down her face.

"Say it," Ren coaxed her. She gulped, voice caught in her throat still.

"They were nobody."

Ren nodded. "They were filthy junk traders; they sold you for drinking money." He didn't know if that last part was true, but it was close enough. Rey held back a sob.

"How do you know this?"

He bypassed answering. "They are dead in a pauper's grave in the Jakku desert. You have no place in this story. You come from nothing. You are nothing."

She didn't think about it at that moment, but she would realize that meant she had spent her entire life waiting for people to come save her, and they had been on the same planet the entire time. Rey didn't have the strength to wipe her face. Maybe some part of her thought it was a sign of defiance, a sign of life. It wasn't.

"But not to me."

What? Rey looked at her manipulator. She knew that she was nothing in the face of the universe. That didn't need to be rubbed in. She knew she was a desert child, lost to the rain of the world. But she tried, was trying, and would still attempt to be someone of value. She had Finn, she had Chewie. She was someone to them. She...wanted to be someone to him, too--to Ben Solo. She turned her tired eyes on the person in front of her. He was broken, he was hurting. But the calculating spark was growing in his eyes. So was darkness, even though fire burned all around them. He wasn't realizing how much he was breaking her, and she realized he still needed to be broken.

"Join me." Ren extended his hand once again. Rey glanced at it. His gloves closed off the skin she knew was so soft. It told her he was still wearing a mask, still hiding. Still Kylo Ren. He stepped closer. Rey looked up at the ceiling, flexing her fingers.

"Please," Ren nearly begged. He didn't want to be alone. He wanted her there, by his side. He wanted to be the most powerful couple in the galaxy. They were so close. She wanted to reach out, she really did. He felt it. He inched his hand closer. "Please."

Her hand rose from her side. It shook slightly, unsure. Ren felt her mind get clouded.

Rey's mind was everything but silent. The voices weren't there but a cacophony nearly blinded her. His hand was there. She could take it. Maybe she would take that chance, maybe she could change his mind. She could take his hand and then they could run out of there. Maybe the vision that she saw when they first held hands could come true. But his hand was gloved. He was not the one that had been so vulnerable with her. What could she do that would ensure her getting away, and have insurance he would come after her, and her alone?

Ren kept his hand steadfast, just there for her like she had been there for him. Rey's eyes flitted away from his. He almost grabbed her hand, just so he could show her he was all in, and make sure she was too. Then her hand jerked out, not to grab him, but to grab the Skywalker lightsaber out of his right hand.

Wait, no. That's not what's supposed to happen. Ren reached out to Pull it, to pull her, to pull their future back into his grasp.

Rey knew if she took it he would come after her, but she could get away in that moment. Ren knew that if she got the saber she would leave. Neither could let the other win. Rey didn't want to stay, Ren didn't want to leave.

The saber froze midair, caught in the Pulls of Rey and Ren. They both panted, already exhausted but they would fight for this because it wasn't just the lightsaber both were fighting for. They were both blown backward, feet sliding on the black floor. Equals in power, the light and dark fighting for both sides yet against each other at the same time.

Both yelled as if that would enhance their powers. Their battle of wills became too strong. The lightsaber, the embodiment of the Skywalker dynasty, snapped. A dazzling blue-hued light blinded them. A blast erupted, tossing them like rag dolls away from each other to either side of the room. Ren collided full-on with the wall, smashing his head back before slumping face-first onto the floor. Just before he fell unconscious, a mechanical voice and rhythmic breathing filled his mind.

_"I told you not to follow in my footsteps."_

Ren tried to scream but the world cut to black with no noise to stall it or show how much pain he was in.

Rey was fortunate to have less of an impact and only blacked out. A moment later she opened her eyes but could not see. She blinked rapidly, dispelling any tears left. Her vision became hazy and upon attempting to stand, her legs bowed and she had to give herself a minute before crawling ahead. She reached out for the staff of one of the Guards and used it to prop herself up. She hobbled over to the center of the room where the saber lay.

Two halves, torn apart. Rey gingerly picked up the artifact. She remembered the little trinkets she had hidden away. She knelt down; out of her right boot she pulled a small electronic tracker; a ring she found on the Falcon. Although she had several more mischievous trinkets on her person, none of them mattered. The ring was the one thing that she could still really use. She had the ring in one hand and the broken saber in the other. She stuffed the Saber in her shoe and picked up the Guard's staff so she could walk.

Even though she was no stranger to blood, Rey gasped. Out of Ren's neck, probably a standard quart of blood had gushed out. Rey knelt down. She turned him over and braced herself. The blood was warm and wet. Even though she never really tried this before, she had to attempt. 

Rey sipped into a meditative state. The feeling of blood left her hand and visions passed by her eyes. The voices came back, giving her advice. But she drowned them all out. No one knew of this ability; it was new to her. She didn't even know how this ability came to her, but it felt natural. As if carving a sliver from the whiteness around her, Rey felt pure Life flow from inside herself, to her fingertips, into Ren. 

The blood was still pooled beneath him and on Rey's hands, but there was no scar, no more blood. She slipped out of the meditation and looked down at Ren. His hair covered his face. Rey brushed it out of his eyes, which twitched. He would be awake soon, she knew. Slowly, she removed the glove on his right hand and slid the ring on his middle finger. She put the glove back on and really looked at the figure before her. _He still needs to be broken_. One of the voices whispered to her. To herself, Rey nodded. 

She wasn't going to wait. She had done that long enough. This creature in front of her might change. Maybe he did need someone. But Rey couldn't stay. She bit her lip. 

"Someone once said to me 'The longing you seek is not behind you, it is in ahead'." she whispered. "I can't live in the past anymore. Neither should you." 


	13. We've gotta go

The ship shifted; something was wrong. Rey hobbled over to the 'window'. Explosions found invisible marks; the Resistance. Rey had to look away. She looked down, shaking her head ever so slightly, biting her lip. Something caught the corner of her eye. Ren's saber was close to her feet. She limped over to it and picked it up. The right thing would be to return it, right? Another guilt pang, something tangible that would show him he should return to the light. It was heavy and odd, but power emanated from it into her hand. Hatred, too. She looked around. The only thing that would make a good knapsack was the sash she wore. She took it off painfully; all adrenaline subsided and her body was hurting. Soon, she had a nice little over the shoulder carrier and an assortment of weapons--all taken from the Praetorian guards-- stuffed in or more accurately, through, it. She kept the staff in her hand and clipped Ren's saber onto her belt.

She didn't want to take the elevator she was brought in on. Looking around, she spotted one of the panels on the wall seemed out of place. She hurried over to it and was rewarded: a secret elevator. She entered and almost slammed into the back wall after pressing several buttons (none of which were labeled). Her body was threatening to shut down right here; her head was spinning and her left arm hung limp at her side. Voices were creeping in her mind but were nearly all drowned out by Kylo's. Rey bit her lip, resting her head against the wall. She wasn't feeling guilty like when she had left Ach-too, but fright made her shiver. Her fingers brushed against Ren's saber on her belt. Her thoughts were interrupted when the elevator jolted to a stop. Rey readied the Praetorian staff in her right hand and the doors opened up.

Heat slapped her in the face. Troops that were still standing were running about, trying to rescue their fallen or trapped comrades. They paid no attention to Rey, not as an AT-ST began firing. She stopped short; the white and orange sphere was too familiar. A shriek startled Rey, and she pointed the staff in the direction of the noise. A girl, clearly not a stormtrooper, swung a blaster about wildly. Amid the blasts and fire, a singular fight broke out. Rey recognized the jacket.

"Finn?" She was torn; there was a ship right there, but Finn was still locked in battle, and his friend was still taking down Stormtroopers left and right. Rey attempted to ready herself to jump into another battle, but the weight of the other weapons on her back was starting to drag her down and broken bones crunched inside. Thankfully, she didn't have to choose whether or not to fight; the AT-ST shot the ground beneath Finn's foe. After watching his enemy get swallowed by flames, Finn grabbed his friend and they climbed on board the machine, but they were still a ways away from any aircraft. Rey, however, was only a short sprint away from one that was in its own separate hanger undamaged. She guessed that normally it would not be there; the ship seemed too regal to be a fighter like most of the other ships in that bay; it must have been brought down by her frantic button pressing in the working elevator. No Troopers were in her way, and the sprint, though excruciating, was very rewarding; the ship's controls were simple and in a few seconds after boarding, Rey had the craft up in the air. She used the Force to call to Finn, hoping beyond hope that he would hear her. Evidently, he did, and the AT-ST turned. Rey moved the craft as close as she could, barely hovering above the ground. She opened the ramp. Finn tossed BB8 in, gave his friend a helping hand, and then jumped in himself.

"Rey? What--"

She didn't look up from the controls as she exited the hanger. "Not the time. Take a seat. This is going to be a bumpy ride."

Finn and his friend sat down as Rey guided the craft out of the burning hanger. She made the ship get up to speed as fast as she could to evade the other escaping vessels.

"Chewie," she tried the radio. "Chewie?" There was a minute of static, but the familiar roar came through. "Meet me at these coordinates. It's time to join with the Resistance." 

\---------------------------

Hux entered the Throne Room, disbelief and disappointment overcoming the pallor of his sunken cheeks. He walked towards the throne, agast at the scene before him. He blinked as Snoke's lower half fell off the seat with a shift of the ship. He turned towards Ren, who was still lying face down.

_This is your chance,_ a dark voice, Hux's own, whispered. He slowly shifted his long coat out of the way of his blaster; he reached over to secure the pistol. A split second later and there would have been a hole in the lying body of Ren. He jumped when his target gasped and half pushed himself up.

Ren woke up with a splitting headache. He rubbed his head before pushing himself into a sitting position one-handed. Immediately, his body wanted to shut down. He stared ahead, his vision not clear enough to see Hux yet, who shifted as Ren seemed to get legitimately scared as his hand flew up to his neck. But Ren's blood pressure seemed to return slightly to normal as he stood up. It took a moment for his eyes to focus. He wished they hadn't.

"Hux."

Hux, with his somehow still immaculate suit, slicked-back hair, and perfect posture stared down the pitiful creature in front of him. He didn't have to ask anything; Ren knew that look.

"Snoke was murdered. The girl got away." He reached for his belt, for his lightsaber. It wasn't there. He remembered it lying on the ground, but a quick scan revealed it lost. Ren clenched his fist. It was her; she had taken it. He didn't use the energy to look at the disbelief radiating off Hux, who remained silent as Ren stumbled past him to the now glass wall, allowing him to see the exploding Order ships. Out of the wreckage, several ships flew out. Either traitors or her.

"She took an escape craft." Hux never liked Ren, but his allegiance was to the Supreme Leader, and at the moment, the job was up for grabs. The thought had crossed his mind that Ren couldn't just slice him in half with his laser sword, but Ren was volatile even without the Red bladed monstrosity.

"We know where she's going."

"To the Rebels?"

"Of course. Get all personnel on craft. We are going down to the surface of that planet."

Ren turned away from the clear wall and marched past Hux. "Let's finish this."

Hux couldn't take it anymore. "Let's finish this?" He mocked. "Who do you think you are talking to?"

Ren stopped but did not turn around. He felt his rage boil again.

"You presume to command MY armies?" Hux was shouting. His hand was dangerously close to his blaster, and at this point he was too blinded by rage to remember Ren could easily kill him. "Our Supreme Leader is dead! I will answer to no one!"

His throat was caught in an invisible vice. He clawed at the unseen foe as Ren turned around, his hand outstretched and pinching shut ever so slowly.

"Snoke is dead. Do you want to join him?" Ren's voice was flat. Better flat than have his very words quiver from emotions.

"Long live the Supreme Leader," Hux gasped out. The vice was released as Ren turned his back on the whimpering creature in a black coat.

"Prepare your ships."

Ren left on the same elevator he came up in, except he didn't go straight down to the hanger. He waited as the elevator ascended. It opened at his quarters. There was something in there that he had tried to keep secret even from himself. He limped with each step, over to the wall just left of his bed. He opened up his closet. Inside, a light came to life, illuminating all black clothing, boots, and other accessories. He walked in and stopped at one of the solid stone shelves on the right side of the closet. He extended his hand, closed his eyes, and breathed deep. The shelf moved, revealing a small wooden chest. His hand hovered over the box for a moment before he grabbed it, slammed the shelf back into its rightful place, and took the chest over to his bed. Ren knelt down to both knees, just above eye level with the top of the box.

He placed both hands on his thighs in meditation. His breath came slow and shaky. The ship tilted, causing Ren to lose his concentration. In a rage, he struck at the box. It shifted on the blanket but did not give in. He remembered: it would only be opened by a calm mind. A curse binding it shut, a failsafe Ben had placed on it before he became completely trapped by Snoke. Once again, he placed his hands on his thighs and quieted his mind. It took a lot more strength than he remembered, but he wanted this. He needed it. He would make his visions come true, no matter how—in the way he wanted. The chest remained closed. Ren grabbed it and hurled it across the room in a fury.

_What do you want, Ren?_

_"Who is this? Why are you talking to me?"_

_My name is Asajj Ventress. You and I are very alike. I will only say: if you want the future shown to you so badly, shed the darkness entrapping you and open that chest._

The name rang a bell. Suddenly, Ren remembered. Originally a Jedi padawan, turned assassin and Sith acolyte. She had fallen to the dark side, but ultimately was betrayed by her Sith Master. She lived on her own...but, if he remembered correctly, she was redeemed.

_"I want to gain power. I want to be free from any power but myself."_

_Freedom?_ A cackle erupted all around Ren. _You will not be free until you face your demons._

"Is that what you did?" Ren yelled at empty air. Ventress was gone, but the chest remained. Ren summoned it back to him. This time he sat on the floor, criss crossed. He placed his palms up and closed his eyes. He brought back the sight of his mother when she was still young, and her soft voice singing him a lullaby, the most beautiful sound to his toddler ears, still the move beautiful sound to grace his adult ones. A wave of serenity washed over him. He wanted to fight it, but another, stronger, part of his consciousness said, no, let it heal you.

The chest clicked open. Ren opened his eyes too fast, and any serenity he had snapped like a rubber band. He grabbed the chest. Inside, his old lightsaber rested among paper and old calligraphy equipment. A dark feeling crossed his heart; his eyebrows furrowed and eye twitched in a sneer as he cured his gloved fingers around the hilt. He activated it. Blue illuminated his face. Memories flooded his mind and a part of him wanted to allow the memories to take over. But the person standing with gloved hands and a scarred face and soul was fractured more than the boy that had hidden the saber from Snoke.

The words of Darth Vader rolled around and around in his head as Ren exited the elevator into the hanger. Hux noticed that his demeanor had changed, as well as the lightsaber on his belt.

"Where did you get that toy?"

Ren cocked his head to the side with a little smirk on his face. "Oh, you'd like to know."

Hux took a step back. This new Kylo Ren was much more dangerous that the one that had choked him in the Supreme leader's room.

"Get the ships boarded. We are heading straight to the surface." Ren headed towards his own personal ship. He turned his head to one eye Hux. "You are in charge of the ground crew. Stay in the Command ship with me."

Not surprised, Hux nodded. His own agenda could finally be put in place. "Very well, Ren."

Ren nodded and boarded his ship. Hux held his head high, so much so he couldn't see the Troopers beneath him.

"Board your craft. We are going to bring hellfire down on these Traitors." 


	14. I'm hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Finn talk, someone unexpected pays Rey and Ren a visit

"Chewie, I have Finn and his friend Rose here. We need to get to that resistance base and help them to get out of there. The First Order is going to be coming with everything they have. Are there any exits besides the main door?" Rey led the ship around a mountainous ridge. The controls in her hands would have been too easy to push down, to land the ship, and allow herself to cry. It would have also been too easy to shift the controls up and run away. Yet, feeling Finn and Rose behind her, she continued to guide the craft around mountain peaks. Chewie finally replied. After listening to Chewie give the coordinates, Rey turned her head.

"Ok, Finn, I'm going to set you and Rose down with Chewie. He knows the location of the barrier, and was able to contact Poe on the inside." Her tiny smile dropped, and she turned away from her friends

Finn gave a sigh of relief until the shift in Rey touched him. "Rey, what is it?" He looked pointedly at Rose, who shrugged.

Rey shook her head. "I...I have something I need to take care of. You guys stay safe, stay with the Falcon. This is something I need to do alone."

Finn stood up. "No, Rey. Whatever it is, you don't have to do this alone. Rose and I here, we can help you—"

"No!" The ship lurched, and Finn fell back into the seat. He sprung back up. Rey was barely restraining her tears, and her hands were shaking on the controllers. Finn moved up to the co pilot's seat.

"Rey, what is going on?"

She drew in a rattling breath. "I hurt, Finn. I'm hurt." She didn't want to crash the ship amidst her breakdown, scanned the nearby terrain, and set the ship down.

"Then rest! Everyone knows a soldier that's hurt does no good to themselves or their squad. We are your squad, Rey. Rest."

"He told me I waited my entire life for people who would never come back for me." She hung her head, the anger in her veins reigniting.

"Wait, who told you that? Ren?"

Rey nodded. Finn's nostrils flared and Rey could feel the hatred pouring off of him. "And I'm not a soldier. I'm a scavenger..." Putting that label on herself almost made her physically sick. She looked down at her bloody hands. "I don't know who I am."

Finn sat back down and went to grab her hand. At the slightest touch, she flinched, although he could tell she tried not to. He settled for locking his fingers together, elbows on his knees and forcing eye contact with her. Her eyes were big, scared and hurt. But she had resignation already burned into them. Finn squeezed her hands. "Rey, Rey listen to me, please," he begged. She looked away, so he waited. Finally, she met his gaze again. "You aren't a nobody." He stared at her until she nodded as she wiped her nose with her right hand. "Don't believe a word that monster says. Rey," he was nearly off the edge of his seat now, "don't go after him now. Please. Come with me and Rose. We can save the Resistance, and wait until all of us are strong enough to take on Ren."

The anger she felt, kindled with Finn's, sparked a sudden darkness inside her. She stood up faster than she thought her broken body would allow. "No! I will not put the rest of the galaxy in danger because I am hurting!" Her hand was dangerously close to the black saber on her belt. Finn had noticed the saber before, but this time it clicked.

"That's his. What happened to your other one?"

The darkness dwindled, but didn't completely leave; she merely felt it recede back into her heart. Bending down, she grabbed the pieces of the Skywalker saber from her boot. "Ren and I both grabbed for it. I guess neither of us were worthy."

Rose coughed, startling the pair upfront; they forgot she was still listening. "Sorry guys, but no matter what you are going to decide, the Resistance is still close by and I just saw an entire fleet of First Order ships carrying Walkers fly overhead. We need to get to Chewie and get the Resistance out of here."

Finn finally tore his eyes off Rey and nodded in agreement with Rose. "Rey," he started, and stopped. She seemed transfixed with the next wave of ships flying in overhead.

"Ren is coming..." she murmured. Her hand brushed the Saber on her side. Her eyes were closed as she slowly sank into her seat. "He's already here."

Finn got out of the co-pilot seat to sit with Rose. He had much more to say, but this was not the time. Rey must have made up her mind; the second she opened her eyes her hands were all over the controllers and they were back up in the air. They flew erratically around the mountain peaks, keeping low like Finn had told Rey to do so long ago on the desert of Jakku. In moments, they were a landing zone away from the Falcon.

Rey stood up and handed the bundle of Praetorian weapons to Rose. "They were the weapons of the Supreme Leader's guards. They deflect Lightsabers and I'm sure have other secrets about them. Take them, please."

Rose nodded, taking the bundle into her arms. Before turning away she looked up to Rey. "You mean a lot to Finn. I would take his advice."

Rey watched her as she left. Finn had left the ship to say something to Chewie and also get on untapped coms to get in touch with Poe. She raised the loading platform and locked it. Her hands reached for the controls, but never touched them. She hung her head.

"You aren't a nobody." Finn had said.

Rey shook her head, still looking down, ashamedly. She whispered more to herself than to the empty place beside her. "I know."

_So why do you have to prove him wrong still?_

One of the voices. Male, but like honey. 

_Ren's grandfather was reckless. Often, I berated him for that. You have that same recklessness, Rey. But don't be afraid. We are with you_. A pause. _Listen to your friend, he feels that you have much longer in this story to go._

She didn't know who the voice belonged to, but she knew who's voice it was that came next.

"Rey, listen to your friend."

She nearly flew around in her seat. "Master Luke?"

His beard seemed greyer, but his hair was combed, his black robes new, and he had a lightsaber on his side.

"What are you doing here?" Rey tried to not let her anger show, but restraint was not in her grasp.

"Your part in this story is not over; mine is. It is time that I make my mistakes right. Like you said: I either need to save the galaxy or give someone else the tools to do it. Well," he spread his arms in presentation, "I'm doing both, or," he tilted his head, smiling, "half and half." Rey's furrowed eyebrows released into confusion. Luke sighed and rested his hand on her shoulder, but she felt nothing. "It is time for you to rest, Rey. Help your friend save the Resistance. For this moment, this is my battle."

He turned to leave, but Rey finally realized what he meant. Luke released the door ramp and began to walk down it. Rey tried to stand, but her legs gave out and she fell back into the pilot seat, strength from her anger gone. "Luke!"

He stopped with his back still turned. She called after him. "Are all the Jedi really dead with you?"

He turned around, the ends of his mouth twitching up into a warm smile. "No one is ever really gone." 

\---------------------

Ren watched the terrain zip by from the passenger seat of the mobile unit command ship. He could have sworn he saw a ship flying around a far mountain, but the migraine fighting for dominance inside his head planted seeds of doubt. They stabilized over the group of Walkers, above their masterpiece: the Siege Cannon. Ren gave the command to fire. Of course, Hux repeated his command into the comms. The Cannon powered up, dispelling red over the white covered land. It took only moments before the Blast door of the Rebel base was blown wide open. Ren paced in the back of the ship before moving his cape to sit once more. The trembles ripping through his body weren't hidden by his black ensemble. Everyone noticed, but Hux was the only one reckless enough to comment on it.

"Ren, are you sure you want to be in the command center and not in the medical wing?"

Ren curled his hand into a fist. "As long as you are my second in command will I not go to the medical wing while a mission is going on."

Though disappointed, Hux stepped back and began giving his own orders over the comm. The fliers ahead dropped off the last of the Walkers and flew back into the atmosphere for an aerial assault. Ren sank low into his seat. Even though the saber on his side was supposed to be the base used for his dark apprentice saber, Ben had, instead, stolen another Kyber crystal and built the saber from scratch. Some part of him didn't want to get rid of the one thing that his mother and father helped him with. No one in the Order had seen its blue blade yet. He wasn't sure how they would feel, seeing their leader without a more malicious looking weapon. It didn't matter. If he was able to take down the Resistance and get Rey on his side, then no one in the Order—no one in the Galaxy—would be able to look and think he was weak just because of the color of his lightsaber.

"Sir..." Ren's pilot peeled his eyes off the controls. "There's someone approaching. On foot?"

Ren couldn't stand up faster. He took his hands off the lightsaber and steadied himself, gripping the co-pilot seat. Out of the ashes and flames, stood one last familiar figure. Ren's face could not begin to display the anger he had towards that man, so it remained neutral. His voice was eerily calm and flat; even Hux noticed and got a prickle of what felt like fear. Ren gave an order.

"I want every gun we have to fire on that man." When no one responded immediately, he cleared his throat and commanded again. "Do it."

The pilot looked back at Hux, who nodded affirmation, then sent the order to the Walkers. Steel groaned as feet were placed in attack stance. One shot was fired, and before the smoke cleared, the entire fleet rained hellfire down on Luke. It still wasn't enough for Ren. His anger was strengthened with every shot.

"More." He commanded. The pilot looked back at him. Ren nearly screamed. "More!"

The fleet fired until their capacitors had no charges left. Hux glared at the crazed creature beside him.

"Do you think you got him?"

Ren nearly rolled his eyes, falling into the chair like a delinquent child. Shuddering breaths overcame him. He rubbed his forefingers against his thumbs, trying to calm his body, telling himself over and over that _Luke is gone, he is dead. The final step is coming. Now it's just the Resistance. You can take care of this, get to Rey, take over the rest of the Galaxy and bring back the peace._

"Now. If we are ready to get moving," Hux stood straight, hands clasped behind his back, all proper again, "we can finish this." He stood next to the pilot and leaned down slightly. "Tell the Walkers to move." He stood up, looking regally out the window. "Let's exterminate these pests."

The Command ship began to glide forward, leading the Walkers from the air. The hairs on Ren's neck stood up. No. He jumped out of his seat. "It can't be."

Dust began to disperse, but not to an empty crater. Out of the salt-filled air, Luke emerged, smirking. He stared at Ren through the red-tinted glass and brushed off non-existent ash from his immaculate robes. Ren exhaled a shaky breath. All the scenarios in his head failed, except one.

"Bring me down to him."

Hux turned, dead-eyed, jutted out jaw, and close-knit eyebrows. The words finally didn't catch in his throat. "Supreme Leader,"

"Keep the door covered and don't advance until I say."

"But, Sir." Ren glared at Hux, who pressed his tongue to the back of his teeth and tapped his foot but remained silent. He waved his hand and the pilot, after a second's hesitation, lowered the ship. Ren didn't look back as he exited onto the salt-covered surface. Luke awaited him, letting the smoke clear between them as wind flipped cloaks equally dramatically. A red dawn was slowly creeping above the horizon, making everything glow in favor of the Sith.

"Did you come to say you forgive me?" Ren spat. Luke stood opposite him, unperturbed, unmoving despite the tossed up salt stinging Ren's eyes. "To save my soul?" Despite himself, Ren wanted Luke to say yes.

"No." Luke replied to Ren's seemingly sealed fate. Steady, emotionless.

"You are the last true Jedi then," Ren jibed, "unable to save the last person they care about." He shrugged his cape off and grabbed the lightsaber on his side. It ignited blue. There was more fear in Luke's eyes than there would have been if the blade facing him had been red.

"I thought you destroyed that saber along with Ben solo," he said. Ren took an aggressive stance, turning the saber menacingly. Luke slowly unhooked his own lightsaber and ignited it: the same green illuminated his face as the night he last saw Ben Solo with his Blue saber. Ren took the first strike.

He ran, holding the lightsaber with a backward grip and took a swipe at Luke, who merely ducked the first blow. Ren swung around, and that blow was parried by Luke. They were on opposite sides of the field now, Luke with his back towards the Order, Ren facing it. Luke dragged his feet to shoulder-width apart. Ren let the anger in him strengthen his muscles and struck first again. He ran forward, blade swung low. Luke's nose was nearly a distant memory, but again, he spun around, this time taking a swipe at Ren's feet but missed, turning on his knees before bouncing upright.

"I failed you, Ben. I failed you, and your mother and your father,"

"Don't you dare apologize, Luke. It's too late."

"I'm sorry." Luke finished.

"I'm sure you are!"

His unrepentant anger echoed forever. "The Resistance is dead. The war is over." He waved the lightsaber back at the expanse of Walkers, and then towards the ships hovering near the outer atmosphere. "And when I kill you, I would have killed the last Jedi!"

Luke finally released the smirk that had been simmering beneath his bushy beard. "Do you know why your mother named you Ben?" He gave a wane smile. "Because you were her Hope. I won't say she was wrong. But you are."

Ren's voice gave out. Luke took this opportunity to deactivate his lightsaber and support his claim.

"The Rebellion is reborn today. The war is just beginning. The Jedi deserve to die. But this galaxy will not be without a beacon of hope."

Ren stared at his Uncle, sweat pouring off his face, making his hair stick despite the dangerous wind. "I'll destroy her," he said. Luke grinned and nodded like someone had told him a funny joke. "And you," Ren continued. "All of it!"

"No," Luke hooked his lightsaber onto his belt. "Strike me down in anger and I will always be with you. Just like your father."

Luke watched every emotion change Ren's face. Anger, fear, rebellion. Seeing this did not give him peace. But the weight of this life was now over for him. His mouth upturned into a sad smile and his shoulder looked free.

Ren yelled, sprinting at Luke. He drew his lightsaber back and threw it forward. His body followed, passing through the Projection of Luke. _No, it can't be._ He jerkily turned to look at Luke, who in turn, shifted to look at his Nephew again, who straightened up though fear still widened his eyes.

Ren stepped forward, not sure what was happening anymore, but fearing for the worst. To test if his fear was true, he poked at the figure of Luke. The blue blade went clean through, and came back out, without leaving a hole. 

"What?" Ren yelled, the wind picking up, carrying the words away.

Luke simply nodded his head and winked. "See you around, kid." 


	15. A life taken is not one earned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren finds out he's capable of so much more, as does Finn.   
> Rey subconsciously begins to realize the Jedi are now dead and she will need to become something else

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> From here on out I am taking the direction more towards Colin T's original Duel of the Fates script (I highly recommend reading it, and I own no rights to these characters or stories)

Ren had nothing to slice through except the wind. He screamed until his throat gave out. He pressed the comm button on his wrist. "Hux, bring a squad and get your fliers at all possible exit points around this mountain range."

Hux did not reply immediately. Instead, into a secret commlink, he called his own loyal troops. 

"Prepare for ground assault. Eliminate Kylo Ren." 

"Yes, Sir." 

Although Ren was in the perfect and the most vulnerable position he would most likely be in a long time, Hux wanted his revenge in person. He picked up the commlink Ren called in on.

"Yes, Ren. Sending reinforcements now. Fliers are scanning the range as we speak."

Ren nodded, cutting his connection. He stomped forward towards the smoldering ruins of the Rebel Base's blast door. The blue from his lightsaber lit up the expansive hanger. The empty hanger. He closed his eyes and concentrated. They were still in there, but relatively far, farther than the schematics had shown the base ran.

Hux came in with his troopers quietly. They spread out, some heading in front of Ren as if to scout. 

"Fire," the familiar, cold voice commanded.

Ren had his back turned, yet stopped the blasts. Eight bolts of light hung in the air.

"Hux, I thought you were wiser than this." Ren clenched his hand and the blasts returned to their owners. Hux held another commlink in his free hand, opposite his blaster. 

"I will be the Supreme Leader," he said, brandishing the commlink as if It was the more deadly weapon. Ren frowned, and Hux continued. "Name me Supreme Leader, or an entire battalion will join me. I don't think you can pull such a nifty trick again right now."

Hux was right; Ren could feel his body shutting down. He looked at the slimy fraction of a man and let that anger straighten him as he stood. He Pulled Hux's weapons away from him, slashed them with his lightsaber, and personally choked Hux without the aid of the Force.

"I will do no such thing." He growled. Hux's life force was becoming weaker. Ren hadn't known he could feel and by extension take, people's life force until that point. He made note of it, ready to throw Hux to the ground, but his hand kept squeezing, tighter and tighter. Hux's pallor finally filled with some color, yet purple was not a pleasant hue on his tone either. Flailing about, he pulled a small Stunner from an inside pocket and jammed it into Ren's side, the same on that Chewbacca shot. Ren yelled out in pain and let go. Hux dropped to the ground, pushing upright with one hand and threatening with the Stunner in his other. But before he had the chance to fully advance, Hux rose into the air, clawing at his throat for air that would not come. 

Ren couldn't Grab at the miserable lifeform quick enough. He felt Hux's lifeforce leaving him. It was so close, Ren felt that he could grab it. But as the last of Hux's lifeforce drained out of the man, the tangible energy dissipated. 

"No," Ren yelled, even though his voice was already shredded. "No!" 

The power had been so close to his reach. It had touched his fingertip, but could not get past the leather layer. He stared at his black gloves. The only other time he had been without them (other than getting them washed, of course) was with Rey. She had wanted to take his hand again, back on the ship. She had been so close. But she had left. She did the exact thing she never wanted anyone to do to her. And she left him. 

Ren tore off the gloves, tossing them to the ground beside Hux's body. 

He picked up his own commlink. "Get me Commanders Maverick and Renee," he said. A minute of silence, then his old pilot's voice returned. 

"I'm sorry, sir, but it seems that COmmanders Maverick and Renee are not in range. Would you like--" 

Ren almost broke the Comm squeezing it so hard. "No," he growled. "Just send my reinforcements." He took a step, then shared his afterthought. "Contact the Knights of Ren. I want to see them as soon as this is finished." 

Ren didn't wait for any affirmation. He pushed forward in the tunnels and soon enough his own troopers joined him. Obediently, they followed Ren into the darkness. 

\--------------------

Rey Called out to Finn. He came running up the ramp, his face noticeably radiant and he stood taller. Rey's mouth twitched at the corners seeing his joy.

"Poe is inside. They followed these Crystal Critters but the exit is blocked by boulders. They can't get out. But they are alive." He knelt in front of her. "I'm glad you decided to stay."

Rey nodded her head and slowly inched her fingers towards his hand. Though he raised an eyebrow, Finn took her hand. He felt the blood pulsing in her veins and studied her face. With her eyes closed, she seemed to be meditating. They stayed like that for a moment, Finn kneeling on the ground, Rey still sitting in the Pilot's seat until she opened her eyes.

"Help me up."

Finn obliged, looping her arm around his shoulders and pulling her up. He didn't have to lean too far to the side; she seemed to be able to stand and move relatively well now, although Finn himself felt a little weaker. "Where are we going?"

"Just help me over to the blocked entry point. I can get them all out."

They began to walk in sync and reached the edge of the ravine. It was too far for Rey's powers to reach in her weakened state. She withdrew her arm from Finn's shoulders and drew a deep breath.

 _Oh, I hope this works._.. And she jumped. Finn yelled after her, which did not help her anxiety. But as she neared the ground, she Pushed and her fall was slowed down, though she still fell flat on her face.

"Ow," she mumbled, pushing up on her one good arm to flip over. "Finn!" She yelled up. He had started to climb down with hesitant steps but stopped, hearing her voice. "Jump down! I'll catch you!"

She could tell he wanted to refuse, but with the roar of another ship overhead, rocks tumbled. He nodded. Rey lifted up her hands. Finn jumped.

She Caught him until about a foot above the ground and he also fell flat on his face.

"Ow," he gave into a breathless chuckle. "I think you need to practice that."

For the first time in too long, Rey cracked a real, full smile; the kind that makes wrinkles form around your eyes, accompanied by a laugh that escaped as she threw her head back before falling flat on her back. The roar of yet another fighter overhead stomped on the moment of exhilaration. The pair turned around and looked at the pile of boulders, the pile almost as high as the ravine they were currently at the base of.

"You have the strength to do it?" Finn asked, extending his hand. Rey took it, and he pulled her up to his side. Rey collected herself and stepped forward. Bowing her head and closing her eyes, she extended her arm. She felt the rocks and the space between them. The world around her grew quiet. She breathed slow, exhaled even slower. Behind her, Finn watched intently. Something welled up inside him. He shifted his feet, doubting the ever-growing realization. He looked at Rey again, and his muscles relaxed.

The rocks began to rise into the air. There were hundreds, but they were no longer one pile in front of the tunnel entrance. She could feel the excitement of the Resistance growing as light surely began to shine on them. She didn't dare open her eyes yet.

Finn had wanted to close his eyes and concentrate. He knew he would be able to do it. He saw the rocks lifting. A moment later, he saw Poe emerge in front of the sparse Resistance. He also saw the red bolt scream past him and explode one of the hovering rocks.

Rey flinched; the trance broke. She saw the Resistance, and the rocks begin to fall on them. She lept forward, as her first instinct.

Finn flinched at the blast and yelled when the rocks began to fall. As if in slow motion, he saw Poe yelling and pushing his comrades back into the tunnel. Rey looked back to see the last bit of the attacker's ship disappear over the mountain in front of them. Without another thought, Finn jerked his hand out. The rocks froze in midair.

Rey gasped and quickly looked over her shoulder. Finn was shaking; this was using up all his strength. Rey grabbed the rocks with her Force using both hands and motioned wide. The rocks were thrown to either side of her. She rushed back to Finn as Poe and the Resistance walked out of their lost base.

"I had a feeling you were like me," Rey said, kneeling towards the exhausted Finn. He weakly grinned.

"Guess we gotta work together now, figure this whole Force thing out?"

Rey nodded gravely, her eyes clouding over. Finn cocked his head to the side, about to ask her if she was alright when Poe ran up beside them.

"That was amazing you two but we need to move. Is there another ship besides the Falcon we can fire back at these guys with?"

Rey didn't respond, so Finn did while not taking his eyes off her. "Yeah, we stole a First Order ship. It's on the second ridge over there," he thumbed towards their left. Poe nodded and ran off, shouting orders at the Resistance. The straggling group was maybe 50 in total. They would be up the side of the mountain quick, but Rey and Finn stayed behind to make sure they all made it out alive (it seemed no choice, as Rey was caught in a trance). There didn't need to be any more deaths that day.

Poe was basically a goat, bounding over every rock. He was the last to go up the ravine but the first to reach the top. He waited a moment and grabbed the second person's hand, pulling them up over the lip.

"Get to the Falcon and get out of there!" He patted the girl's shoulder and scurried off to where he assumed Finn pointed. He found the stolen ship, powered it up, and took off. Two ships were easily blown to pieces less than thirty seconds Poe rose into the air.

"There's an entire fleet up here! I thought you said the Destroyers were, well, destroyed!"

Rose, who was in the cockpit of the Falcon, grabbed the mic. "Well, can you actually finish the job then?"

"I don't know, Rose. I don't know!"

Even though she could hear shots from inside the Falcon, hearing the engine of Poe's ship whine as he evaded was so much worse with static interfering.

"Rey, what is it?" Finn was finally able to ask. She snapped out of her stare. Her eyebrows were tensed, and jaw set, but he couldn't tell if it was from resolve or fear. Rey couldn't tell him it wasn't either. It was hatred. She was able to stand better than since fighting in that alleyway.

"He's coming." She wanted this hatred to leave her. But she didn't have the strength to resist it: her fear of the hate made her strong, and that strength was the only thing keeping her upright. She turned to Finn.

"We need to get out of here." The words felt alien to Rey, but they were a welcome sound to Finn.

"Ok." He turned around and craned his neck. It would be a long climb. Rey could barely think, much less talk at that point. Without a warning, she Grabbed Finn and hurled him up to the top of the ravine. He rolled to a stop at the ramp of the Falcon.

Rey looked behind her. Ren was getting closer; she could feel it. Her hand gravitated towards the saber on her side as she craned her neck to see the lip of the ravine. It would be so easy to say she couldn't make it. She touched the rock and looked behind her. No one was at the tunnel entrance, but they were mere steps away. Rey jogged back a few feet then ran full speed at the wall. She grabbed the rock she had placed her hand on and catapulted herself up, over the lip of the ravine. She nearly crashed into Finn, who had begin crawling towards the edge of the ravine to make sure she was coming.

They shared a look and Finn propped himself up first, then extended his hand to pull Rey up. She grabbed it and they jogged into the Falcon. As soon as they were in, Chewie lifted off. Much to Finn's relief, Poe had made a hole in the sky just large enough for the Falcon to make it through without getting shot by the First Order. Chewie guided the ship after Poe and they made their jump to lightspeed. 

\-------

Ren led his Troops through many dark, winding tunnels. Finally, the air changed. He shut off his lightsaber and motioned for his men to halt. Around the next bend, light pierced the darkness. Alone, he advanced. When he reached the corner where the light was strongest, he ignited his lightsaber and stepped out. The ravine was empty of lifeforms, although hundreds of boulders were scattered around.

He deactivated his lightsaber and called for his men to scour the area for any persons somehow among the boulders, but all his senses knew there were none. A ship took off above them. He followed the blue trail, knowing it anywhere. Ren turned around and headed back inside, towards the control room. He needed to be alone.

Rey made her rounds, making sure everyone was alright and had some form of food and water. A few of them thanked her, and the older members looked at her like they were greeted by an angel. The younger ones turned away to keep from staring. She realized why. The lightsaber was black. None of the older members noticed, but, of course, the younger ones did. Rey decided to retire to her room. As she neared the door, actually just stepping through it, her vision went black. Her brain was sucked through space. She grabbed the wall for support (all her strength was gone). She looked out of her doorframe, but instead of the Resistance, she saw Ren. He was sitting, alone, light just capturing his soulful, souless, eyes. 

His chest hitched mid breath, seeing her. She reacted the same way. 

_Please,_ he thought, hoping she could see it in his eyes he didn't want to be alone, not truly.

 _I can't. I'm sorry._ Rey shook her head and pushed the button that closed her quarter's door. As that door closed, so did the Bond. Rey was left staring at her cot, and Ren was left staring at the empty control room. Around both halves of this story, silence fell. 


	16. As you wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey attempts a new ability; Finn confronts her.

Rey looked at the metal room encasing her. It was still very much Han’s quarters; old bottles strewn around, some data pads (with scribbles lighting up their ever malfunctioning screens) lying about, and clothing stuffed into every corner. She limped towards the cot she had made her own (several blankets and her own old clothing placed on it) and hopped backwards onto it, wincing. She lifted her legs over the side and began to lay down, again hitting her head.

“Oh, kriff.”

She settled after a moment and finally closed her eyes. A flash of blinding light. Her stomach churned. Someone ripping at her memories.

“No!” Her hand tore the lightsaber off her belt and an arc of red light left sizzling metal above her. Her chest heaved when she was startled awake by her own brain, but she almost passed out again after barely containing her fear of seeing red emitting from the saber in her hand. The last time she had seen it in action, it was defending its holder. Even so, there were so many deaths absorbed in its blade. Rey turned it off and made to leave it on the bed, yet, her fingers lingered around its hilt. She forced herself to drop the saber on her cot. Only then did her body finally fall apart. Her left leg buckled beneath her, her chest hurt, and black clouded her vision. She grabbed her staff so she could stand; she could not sit down. Not with the voices. 

Rey paced, well, limped around, the small space, her right hand hanging limply by her side. Even though she was in pain, the voices of past Jedi clawed their way through her consciousness. 

"Fine," she muttered to the air. Under some clothes she found an old med kit. Gingerly she rewrapped her left arm and then cleaned and wrapped her leg. but she forced them down, her stomach once again churning. Her eyes wandered towards the saber on her bed. She slapped herself.

_No!_

_No, what?_ Another foreign voice popped up in her head. Rey couldn’t answer, even silently. Her body was crying for rest, but her mind was restless. Her feet continued to walk, driven by the relentless need to do something.

_You can rest, Rey._

_Who are you?_ “I don’t want you in my head,” she confessed in a whisper as her feet led her towards the cot.

The voice went quiet inside her mind. She was facing her cot still when a voice touched her ears.

“My name is Bariss. Long ago, I was a Jedi. But even I saw that they were letting corruption and complacency tear them apart.”

Rey shook her head, uncovering Ren’s, or she supposed, her, lightsaber. Her fingertips brushed the black surface. “Why are you telling me this?”

Bariss sighed. “Because I hurt the people I was close to, trying to destroy the Order.”

Rey nearly stomped her foot. Her face flushed red and her fingers tensed around the hilt. “Why are you telling me this?”

Bariss’ voice stayed calm. She sounded young, and this made her next words more unsettling to Rey’s as the voice receded back into her mind. _Rey, the Jedi deserved to die. Become something new, so the same does not have to be said about you._

Rey had the saber in her hand as she whipped around, expecting to see a…ghost or something. She was disappointed. Even though the room was clear, she ignited the lightsaber, squinting; her eyes were not used to such an intense energy for long periods of time. Yet, her shoulders relaxed. Something about staring at the red blade that sparked an emotion. Not anger like usual, no. Something else. Rey turned around and set the saber down. She rifled through her bag and found what she was looking for.

“How to build a lightsaber…” she muttered, flipping through the pages of one of the Jedi texts. There wasn’t much of anything she could actually read, although somehow a few of the words made sense. Finally, she found what looked like the schematics of how to build a lightsaber. She ran her fingers over each line, over letters she couldn’t understand. Again and again, her eyes ran over the fading ink and yellowed materiel. After the third time, she wanted to throw the book as anger began to creep into her blood. But then, the voice of Bariss crept into her mind again, this time just a memory.

_You can rest now_.

Rey took in a slow breath. She held it for three seconds, then released it, slowly. She climbed onto her cot and folded her legs, placing her forearms on her knees, palms up. She focused on the ever growing imuplse and idea forming in her mind.

The black hilt began to rise into the air. Rey’s eyebrows furrowed as she concentrated. The saber flipped over slowly, several times, as the casing began to split apart. Screws undid themselves; wiring became exposed. In moments, the entire lightsaber was disassembled. Once the disassembly was complete, Rey opened her eyes and the pieces plopped down in front of her lap.

Most of the pieces were similar to what she used to tear out of Star Destroyers, except for the crystal. She picked it up and held it slightly above her eye, towards the hanging light. It was much larger than the almost microscopic shards she picked up underfoot from internal devices. If it wasn’t tainted with color, it may have fetched…nearly a year’s worth of portions back on Jakku. Rey nearly slapped herself again at that thought. She didn’t need to think like that anymore. She wasn’t trapped in that desert. She concentrated on the crystal again. It’s color, of course, caught her eye. She felt hate and confusion emanating off it. But also some sorrow. Those conflicting ideals seemed to erupt out of the large tear in the crystal. Seeing something completely torn reminded her….

Out of her boot, she pulled out the broken Skywalker saber. The casing had been cleanly broken, but the worst caught Rey’s trained eye. The blue crystal was cracked, almost exactly opposite to Ren’s. Rey held both the crystals, looking from hand to hand. Power radiated from the broken pieces.

_Just like you, you know_.

Rey didn’t know where the voice came from, nor did she care. She just knew it was correct. “And one is stronger than none.”

She put the blue crystal in the same hand as the red one and she clasped her fingers wholly around the pair. She closed her eyes. Her hand began to burn, but she kept it closed.

_“Why do I have to kill? This wasn’t me.”_

_“Don’t do this, don’t go this way.”_

_“Ahsoka, wait!”_

_“You were my brother, Anakin!”_

_“Ani, Ani I love…”_

_“The Dark Side is the pathway to many abilities some would consider to be…unnatural.”_

_“Noooooooo!”_

The voices were horrific. Worse were the images, because not all of them were as horrifying as the voices that accompanied them. When the pain in her hand was as unbearable as the voices and images, and her eyes felt like they were burning through her closed eyelids, Rey gave a short yelp and opened her palm. Staring up at her was something never seen before.

Red seemed to overpower blue, but purple shone most dominant in the core. Rey examined the new crystal. Something broken, now something new.

But now what? Rey looked at the disassembled hilt of Ren’s saber. It already had vents…but then her eyes gravitated towards her staff she had set against the edge of her cot. It came to her outstretched hand. One handed she placed it on her knees and calmed her mind.

Her staff uncoupled itself. Once the pieces were individualized, the Crystal rose off Rey’s hand. Wires were stripped from the Skywalker Saber, and Ren’s. They laid themselves inside the hollow tube. The power cells inserted themselves in the optimal space. What felt like hours went by, but only minutes later Rey’s staff reassembled. Once complete, it rested itself in her hand.

Rey opened her eyes. The only notable difference (besides it being nearly half its original size) was that there were no more end caps, and on either side of the immediate center there were out of place knobs.

_The weight is still good,_ Rey thought, pushing herself off the cot. She took a few swings, keeping a straight face (cause any expression pained her, boy her face was gonna be black and blue the next day), although she was nearly elated. Her finger brushed the activation stitch. Thankfully, it was only for one side or else her right leg might have been history.

The room lit up royal purple. Rey turned the staff horizontal to herself and activated the second blade. The same color, although either end radiated with a different intensity due to red or blue dominance. 

“I could get used to this,” Rey said, grinning. She swung the staff around, getting another feel for it with both ends lit up. It was fun until she sliced through the ceiling. Immediately her face flushed and she turned off the sabers, almost apologizing to the ceiling. Although she felt childish for saying it aloud, Rey headed over to her bed and promptly collapsed. “I’ve got to go to sleep.”

And sleep she did. It was not completely peaceful, but even when she was awoken by her terrors, her body felt rested, despite battered and bruised. A knock came at her door, jostling her out of sleepiness left over from a half waken terror. Rey tossed her blanket over her bed and made sure her new lightsaber was resting on top of a pile of clothes, again in the corner. She made a sweep around the room as another knock came, though more tentatively.

“Rey? You in there?”

“Oh, Finn, it’s you.” Visible relief flooded her face as she opened the door. Finn no so subtly peeked over her shoulder.

“Is it ok that I come in?” He shifted the weight on his feet, and Rey sensed he had something he really wanted to talk to her about. On reflex, she almost slammed the door in his face, but, like so many other things in her head, she squashed it down too (as her body became alert, her mind also regained control. The images from her night terrors came back). She attempted to feign a smile, though it came more as a grimace.

“Yeah. Sorry though, it’s kinda a mess.”

Finn smiled. “It’s ok, mine’s probably worse.”

Rey stepped aside and then closed the door as soon as Finn was in. Both of them shifted round, not sure how to start whatever conversation they knew the other wanted to start but didn’t quite want to start. Finn looked from the floor to the ceiling, apparently admiring all the stains on the right wall. Rey moved quickly towards her bed and sat down (she took note of asking for the Praetorian guard's staff since hers was modified now). She forgot about the left overs from the Skywalker saber and Ren’s casing, and winced as she sat on them. Finn had his back turned, and she shoved the still blanket covered pieces into the corner of her bed. Finn must have taken her sitting as a cue and also took a seat, just opposite her on the wall mounted desk. Their eyes met, and Rey caught a small glimpse of what stormed on behind them.

“Thank you, Finn,” she began. A little pink rushed to his face as he looked down at his upturned hands.

“It was just instinct,” he confessed. “That’s why I wanted to talk to you…”

“I only know what I know because of Kylo.” Rey confessed. “Leia, Luke--all the others are gone, Finn. I can’t even read the original Jedi Text. I only really know how to fight with a staff, and you, with a blaster. I do not know how we would even train!”

“Train? You knew?” Rey knew Finn was shocked, but his expression seemed to be of betrayel.

“I knew, or at least had the suspicion. And so, yes, I thought about training. But I don’t know how we could…in the ways of the Jedi at least.”

“Then we adapt! We change, we move on! I chose the right path, I know it! We can…we can make one! Rey, we CAN do this together.”

Rey sighed. She longed to close her eyes and just drift off into unconsciousness. Peaceful unconsciousness. That wouldn’t happen though. The nightmares would come. She didn’t want that to happen to Finn.

“I am not at peace, Finn. Having these powers is not a blessing.”

He sank back a little and bit his lip. “It’s because of the Force I’m not a murderer. I don’t want anyone else to die because of people like…” he searched for the right term. “Because of people like what I was.”

“The Resistance can do that, Finn!”

“Maybe. But not like what you can.”

“What do you mean?”

“Rey, you give hope to people! You are the last of the Jedi; you can bring _lasting_ peace. That’s something the Resistance can’t do.”

Rey couldn’t hide her surprise. She scoffed. “I’m no Jedi.”

Finn opened his mouth to object, but Rey continued.

“Finn, I have done nothing but escalate this war. No one even knows who I am.”

“Rey, don’t be ridiculous! Before she died, Leia told all of the higherups about you. She told them that you were her only hope.”

“Yeah, well, Leia is dead because I couldn’t bring her Luke. She is dead because her son, the one I couldn’t…” she froze. Maybe 12 hours ago, she had shipped herself practically to his feet. She had plenty of chances to take him out. But instead, she fought with him, and then even after they turned on each other she put a tracker on him! Her staff began to rattle—it wanted to draw into her hand. She wanted it to. She wanted to take it and aim it at her chest and make it all…. She cleared her throat. “The one I couldn’t, didn’t, stop—the one that almost killed you! The man that shot his own mother down. He was right—I’m nothing. No one.”

“No. No, you aren’t nothing, Rey. You are the new symbol of Hope. For years, it was Leia. She was the leader. Now…that can be you.”

“Finn, all my years on Jakku showed me what I really am. I am a survivor. Not a leader. I keep myself alive.”

“You saved me,” he said in a quiet voice. Rey was taken aback. At once, she was remembering grabbing his hand and running. All the way to the Falcon, which was now making its way through space, hopefully to people who support the cause of the Resistance. “Rey, you didn’t just save me,” Finn continued. “You saved the Resistance. You didn’t even think twice about going to look for Luke to bring him back.”

“I did that so I could learn the Force and finish off Ren once and for all.” She said.

_But you couldn’t even do_ that, one of the voices whispered in her head. “Shut up,” she mumbled. It was Finn’s turn to be taken aback.

“I didn’t say anything…”

She realized she had said that aloud. “I…” she didn’t have any words for it. She never trusted anyone. Not in her life. She could never afford to in the desert and she never got the chance to after.

“Finn, in all my years I was alone. I had to save myself almost every time. And until you I never had anyone come back for me. I cannot lose someone that never gave up on me.”

She seemed to be telling this to herself, rather than her friend.

“Rey,” Finn caught her eye and hopped off the table. Something was broken behind her eyes. He wanted to ask what was wrong. Maybe he could fix it! He held her gaze. It was not the time to act as a hero. He knelt down in front of her, taking one of her hands. “You saved me. We saved the Resistance. Let us save each other.” He looked away for a moment. "Maybe we don't have to be Jedi. Maybe...it is time for something new."

Rey bit her lip. A thousand words simultaneously wanted to pour out of her mouth and lock themselves up in another crevice of her heart. She barely trusted her mouth to form the question.

“If I do train you…you have to promise me something.”

He was too eager to reply, “Anything.”

“You will not try to stop me from facing Kylo Ren when I chose to do so.”

He looked away from her intense gaze. Rey almost couldn’t hold her breath any longer.

“As you wish.”

Rey almost replied, but Finn cut her off. “You have to promise me one thing, though.”

She raised an eyebrow.

“Please don’t push me away.”

Rey nodded, something of a smile bringing wrinkles around her bruised eyes.

“Deal.”


	17. The last straw was pulled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and his Knights confer  
> Renee is promoted  
>  Ren visits someplace of the past.

Ren marched out of the Rebel base. No one dare look as he sauntered back towards the fleet, surrounded with his own private guard. As he enclosed, a ship touched down behind the Order Fleet. The deadly, pointed ship towered over the red stained battleground. Ren nearly jumped as his comm sprang to life.

“Sir,” an attemptingly commanding voice came through, “the Knights of Ren have touched down. Would you like us to prepare for lightspeed while you…ummm…confer with them?”

Ren rolled his eyes and held his commlink near his mouth. “Prepare the Fleet to rendezvous at the nearest inhabited planet; my men and I will arrive afterwards.”

“Yes, sir,” the voice said.

“Oh, and Pilot?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Two things. Get Commanders Renee and Maverick to join us and their troops at our rendezvous. And I am to be called Supreme Leader.”

“Yes, Sir—preme Leader Ren.”

“Good.” He terminated the link, reaching the open ramp of the Knight’s ship. Ren signaled his men to stay outside as he boarded. His men watched the aerial fleet swoop in and retrieve the walkers. In moments, it was only them and the Knights left on the planet’s surface.

Ren ducked inside Knife 9’s bay and stood amidst his team. “What brings you by?” He asked, nearly teasing.

“We know that you killed the Supreme Leader, Ren.” You could not see the face, but the voice was recognizable.

“Maybe so,” Ren’s cold eyes bore into the mask belonging to the alien with violet eyes. “But now, you are only under my command. Unless, you,” he turned slightly, to look at each of the figures, “want to appoint one of yourselves leader.” His hand brushed dangerously next to his silver-hilt saber. Some of the others also moved towards their weapons, but the one with an almost saber looking hilt on his side, Hattaska, made a small gesture with his foot that registered as ‘stand down’ among his partners.

“That’s better,” Ren smirked.

“What is our next task, Supreme Leader?”

Ren couldn’t turn a certain restlessness from his mind and began to pace. Without his gloves, his skin began to burn. He waved them at his side, dismissing the feeling; he attempted to get his head back in order as the Knights looked on. “I want you to gather information of Sith Holocrons. After you rest and restock, of course.”

One that brandished a two faced ax stepped forward. “Only collect information on them, Ren?”

Ren’s hand finally returned to normal and he could stop pacing. “Yes,” he faced the Knight. “only information on them. I want to make the journey alone when the time comes.”

They discussed mundane matters about the Knights previous mission, and after as good a feast as you can have off rations, Ren called his troops on board (though they stayed beneath in the cargo area) and the ship left Crait. Ren wandered to one of the few windows on the second deck and looked at the stars. He would restore Order. Although he longed not to be alone in it, he would not go after Rey. In time, his vision would come true and she would come to him. He gazed at his hands, bare, so vulnerable. On his middle finger was a metal band. Immediately he wrenched the ring off his finger and brought it up to the light. He recognized it, but only vaguely. With a slight frown, Ren pocketed it; surely it would be useful later on. 

Ren continued to stare out across the stars. He felt the edges of his lips turn up. He would become more powerful than any Jedi. He would complete his Grandfather’s life’s work. An idea stirred in his mind as a hunger grew in his soul. He felt the ship jolt as they exited Hyperspace. They still had a ways to go, so Ren continued to gaze, though his mind was anywhere but looking outwards. Life, death. Holding his bare hand up to the glass, he was beginning to feel the Life Force, the Cosmic Force between all things. He opened his eyes, only to nearly close them with a blinding purple light cutting through. A second later, he blinked and it was gone. But that was enough. Soon, with the help of his Knights, Ren would understand everything he needed to know in order to make his visions come true. It would come true. All would come true.

The Knights touched down on the planet of Vardos, one of the largest First Order inhabited planets nearby. Ren exited the Knight’s ship after ordering them to rest, gather supplies, and refuel.

“I hope you know what you are doing, Ren.” Hattaska eyes stopped Ren before disembarking. Ren merely smirked.

“Now why shouldn’t I?”

“Don’t get cocky. That is how Snoke lost. I do not want to look for another leader too soon.”

It wasn’t quite a threat, but a low undertone troubled Ren slightly. “You never know when it will be your last mission. Rest up.”

Hattaska turned his heel, quickening his pace to catch up with his teammates. Ren sighed. He needed to get someplace he could reach First Order archives. But first, he had some…leadership matters to ordain.

“Supreme Leader Ren, thank you for allowing us to meet with the remaining forces.” General Maverick nodded his head slightly, as General Renee followed suite.

“At ease. You are two of the highest ranking officials here. I do trust that you will fulfill your duties. You have done them before, excellently.” Ren gave a little extra nod towards Renee, who tried very hard not to blush.

“What shall you have us do, Supreme Leader?” Maverick stepped up. Ren took his eyes off Renee and matched Mavericks sturdy stare.

“Hux is dead. I would like you two to head up his job and appoint leaders that you trust." 

Renee and Maverick shared a glance and Ren decided not to notice.

"Right, Sir." Maverick finally commented.

"We shall head to Coruscant. Although Vardos is a good planet for a stop, it is not a place for the show of strength of our Order. Once the ships have refueled, make sure three quarters of our fleet is ready for a jump to hyperspace." Rey turned towards Maverick; his eyes hawk like. Maverick got the gist.

"Of course, Ren." He said coolly. Before Ren could silently patronize him any further, Maverick turned his heel. Renee watched Maverick leave and Ren intently watched her. She must have felt his eyes on her and squared her shoulders, meeting his eyes.

"Yes, Supreme Leader?" She asked, a hint of hidden fear in her voice. Ren simply side eyed her and turned.

"Follow me, Commander." He smirked; the new rank definitely surprised her. He headed towards the empty bridge. He clasped his hands behind his back and looked out of the glass. "I have no interest in politics. My master wanted me to be the leader after him, and I would have. But now he is dead, and my only advasary, Hux, is also gone."

Renee gulped. She wasn't sure where he was going with this conversation but couldn't let herself get too excited. She pinched her thigh and stared ahead, same as Ren.

"People don't believe in the Jedi anymore. They also have forgotten the Sith. I am neither, but people won't see it that way. I know of the whispers, that I killed Snoke and let the girl go because I am on her side. I am not. I am not on either side, only the side of whatever has the most power. Same as you." He made a point to aide eye her. She shifted but there was no embarrassment. Good, exactly what he wanted. "So, I would like you to once again be promoted. This time, to Chancellor. You will be the face of the New Order."

"But what about you? You actually do have all the power." To anyone else it could have been an innocent remark. But calculations were being made. Ren made sure to keep his voice steady and dark.

"My Knights are looking for the last thing that will make me have _all_ the power." They both lapsed into silence for a moment, Renee letting the edges of her mouth turn up in a self satisfied smile and Ren glowering at the nothingness of space.

"What about Maverick?" Renee asked, her foot beginning to tap away at the floor.

"There can only be one Chancellor, but I have no reason to put him out of the picture." He finally turned his head to get a solid read on her. "Do you?"

The gears were working in her head. "No, not yet."

"Very well. But this is not why I hav brought you here and promoted you. Once my Knights return, I will be leaving. I do not know for how long. I trust that wen I leave you will take the Order into your hands but craft it in my vision."

Renee nodded, also turning. An evil glint reflected out of her mind's eye and she saluted. "Yes, Sir."

\--------------------

The people of Coruscant were more than welcoming once they realized they would all be eliminated if they did not allow construction of a new Empiric building to take place. One by one, Rebels factions were found and the traitors to the order were snuffed out.

There would be no more child recruitment for the Trooper program, the Cloning factory on Kamino was revamped, and the droid factory on Geonosis was restored. Renee and Maverick were quite a team; Ren had talked with both of them on several occasions. He knew that fear had to be hidden within hope so that the Order could control all and turn the citizens against the Rebels. He was correct, and his Chancellor was perfect for keeping the crowds under her control. 

He heard news about a woman and man with lightsabers. Jedi, they were called. Ren scoffed. He knew Rey's heart; she was conflicted. She didn't even know what the Jedi were. She was just a Force user, like him. But she was giving people hope. Despite himself, he still carried around the ring she had placed on his finger. Ren had hope that she would still turn. He needed her to either be by his side or for her to be dead. They didn't speak much when their Bond awoke; she tried to get information out of him, not always tactical and he tried to get her location, or tried to get to know her emotions. 

But nothing ever happened. They never got close to each other. After a while their Bond momens became less and less. Ren wasn't stopping them, _so she must have been getting stronger._ Much stronger. He felt power even halfway across the galaxy. Sometimes it seemed weaker; that must have been the man. Most likely Finn, Ren sourly thought, pursing his lip. He could have killed that Trooper when he had the chance and none of this would have ever happened. 

Over half a year passed when Knife nine docked with good news. Ren met with them just long enough to get the coordinates, give his command over to Renee, and fly off Coruscant.

\---------

The flight was smooth, however, the scene before him was startling.

Mustafar: the home of Lord Vader’s castle. Where he had fought his old Master, Obi Wan, lost, and then lived, so he could be reminded of his greatest failure. Ren needed that; he needed to be reminded of the failures of the past so he wouldn’t follow in their footsteps.

The castle loomed over lava flows. Old worker droids scattered the wasteland, no life left even in the inanimate. His ship landed with a slight hiss. He unhooked his lightsaber, almost startled seeing the blue blade. He had almost forgotten. Echos of emotion, such pain and anguish, flooded his eyes and ears as his foot touched the landing pads surface. Something had happened before Vader became…Vader. The voice that had whispered became its former yell.

_LIAR_!

Ren froze. A ghost passed in front of him, then another. One fell down. The sound of a lightsaber activating made Ren turn around; his heart felt like it would leap out of his very chest. An enormous battle scared the land here; but no death.

“Eerie,” he whispered as he blinked the sight and sounds of battle away. Regaining his posture, Ren held his lightsaber up high as he slowly advanced on the broken shell of a castle. Electronics way past their time sat silently. Ren forged ahead, ignoring the feeling of eyes constantly watching his every move. Finally, a pair of blast doors peeled open by brute force stunned Ren. The blue glow illuminated jagged edges leading into another broken chamber.

Ren stepped through the blast door and immediately a red light scanned his body. The blue light of a holograph figure faintly matched his lightsaber’s own illumination. A cloak shrouded figure, bony hands clasped in front of his chest and pointed nose barely shown under the hood, turned to face Ren, who lifted his saber to eye height. As soon as the voice issued from the figure, though, he retracted his arm.

“Lord Vader,” the sniveling voice of Palpatine echoed slightly down the halls. Ren stood straight up, awaiting the voice again.

“If the boy joins you, do not bring him to me yet. Rather, bring him to my old master, Tor Vallium, on the planet of Korriban. Only then can he…”

Ren’s ears perked up, trying to grasp the rest of the message as the data seemed to fizzle out. Despite himself, Ren stepped forward, only to be stopped in his tracks by the red light. This time, however, the light burned on contact. He gritted his teeth and grabbed the Holocron. It opened up, spit out it’s Kyber Crystal, and shut. Ren bent down and retrieved the Crystal, pocketing it. Already his body was in discomfort. He wound back his Lightsaber to strike when the Holocron struck first.

It’s casing exploded, sending pieces into the air. Ren Stopped them midair when a bony, blue hued hand shot out of the remainder of the Holocron. A cackle filled the air and Ren twisted his head from side to side. The hand drew back and thrust forward, sending lightning at Ren.

He dropped his hands and lost his concentration. The metal pieces he had Stopped flew at him. One hit his waist as like a dagger, two large pieces (many small scraps as well) embedded themselves into his chest, and four pieces flew into his face. Every piece became grafted into his skin by the Blue Lightning. . His hands flew up from his waist to his face; his agony could not be stifled. Even though the lightning stopped tearing at his flesh and mind, his mouth would not contain his pain. Like a child practicing to dampen a fire, Ren rolled about.

Too many hours passed before Ren agonizingly crawled, pulling himself up with one hand, to his ship. He set the coordinates and practically stumbled into Maverick and Renee’s arms. Private personnel got a stretcher and he arrived in the med bay. He tried to use the life force trick but he wasn’t angry, he was just in pain. He wouldn’t black out, though; the voice rolled around and around his head. He wasn’t a pure Skywalker. He wasn’t The One. As metal was fused with his skin, he screamed for all that was lost.


	18. Learning curve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Finn train  
> Poe and Finn talk  
> Rey searches for more about Ren

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't own rights to these characters  
> I'm trying not to get my own hopes up but I might write a little spin off between episodes 8 and 9. Comment below if you want any specific quests or people to be involved!

Rey dropped to one knee and barely blocked Finn’s latest slice. A sharp pain, distant but ever growing, touched her face. “Ow!”

“What is it?” Finn asked, shoulders heaving from their latest training.

“I don’t know…” But a familiar feeling crept up on Rey just as another round of pain zapped at her. Then it dawned on her. “He’s in pain.”

“Who?” Finn stared at Rey, who raised her eyebrows, confirming the first thought that came to both their minds. “Ren,” he whispered. Rey nodded. “Wait, you guys can feel each other?”

As Rey struggled to stand up, she nodded, brushing off her pants. She never got in depth with Finn about her apparent Bond with Ren; she didn't even know how to really explain it. She grabbed a towel and sat down on the grass. Finn followed suit, placing his lightsaber (teal in color), by his criss crossed legs. Rey dried her face and folded her hands. The pain was still panging her mind but the truth would have to push past it. 

“It started happening after her caught me back on Starkiller base. The first real time was on Ach-too, though. It happened several times, each time I think bringing us physically closer, no matter if we were the Galaxy apart. I thought I closed it, for good, after Crait. But, these past months its been getting worse. I don't see him much but I feel more."

"Feel more...?" Finn's eyes roamed over Rey's soft features, now hardened by time but soft in the Jungle light. She sighed and pulled some grass.

"I feel his emotions. His anger, his impatience. But also his curiosity and longing." She threw the grass back on the ground. Finn glanced at his lightsaber.

"What could that monster long for besides power?" He scoffed. Rey's cheeks flushed and she clenched her fists.

"Quite a lot, actually." She squinted up at the leaf covered sky. "We aren't so different after all."

Finn almost said something and thankfully closed his mouth. After a moment, he rephrased the question. “He’s been in your head? All this time?”

Rey could tell Finn was getting defensive and protective again. “We’ve been in each other’s heads, it hasn’t just been him. Now, we need to continue sparring.” She stood up, staff in hand while brushing her pants off with the other. 

“Rey, please,” Finn stood up, lightsaber in hand but not in a grip ready to spar. “What are you feeling now?”

She nearly laughed. “Seems you’re becoming a better teacher than I am.”

“Rey.”

She closed her eyes. “I feel…pain. Agony. Loss, and anger. Something is being…burned into his face. He’s…” Rey’s eyes flew open as that tunnel overcame her. Ren was lying on an operating table, metal being scorched into his skin. Wait, no. They were trying to remove it…and it wasn’t coming off. Looking at him, his burned clothes, his red skin, Rey felt his pain. She walked closer, even though it was dangerous. Far away, Finn’s voice called to her. But she needed to see one thing…

The metal could not be pried off, so they were adding onto it. She turned her head, and to the side they were importing schematics for…a mask. A new mask. Rey realized that Ren was barely breathing. She almost longed to reach for his hand. She nearly did too. Then his one good eye flew open, and stared into hers. His heartrate spiked and, even though Rey felt the pain coursing through her entire body, knowing it must have been a hundred times worse for him, he tried to grab her. Rey shut her eyes, forcing the tunnel out of her mind.

She steadied herself with her staff. Immediately she took the weight off her left hand (her wrist still clicked funny whenever she put too much pressure on it, and though she tried to heal her leg as well, the phantom pain caused her to limp.) She tried to brush off the pain, squint it out because her words rang true with the both of them. “He’s weak. But found something. He’s not lonely. He found something…disappointing. But now, he’s angry. He will get what he wants, no matter what the cost.” The words tumbled out of her mouth.

“Rey, what can we do about it?”

“I can face him…”

“No, Rey. We. What can WE do about it?”

Rey couldn’t answer. “We need to finish our sparring. Afterwards, meditate. I need to go alone somewhere."

"Always the cryptic," Finn jibed. His return of jovility let Rey throw off the pain and ignite her lightsaber. They fought for a while, then tried target practice. Finn was a much better shot than most (even Poe, and he sulked for a week after Finn beat him). When they were both sweaty and exausted, Rey dismissed Finn. She threw her towel over her shoulder and disappeared into the forest.

Finn watched her scurry off. He always had a fondness for her, not sure if it was romantic or friendly but either way he felt a connection to Rey and hoped her was alright. Rey had scurried off someplace Finn didn't even want to know about. For his meditation, he preferred his favorite spot.

Two pools sat side by side, one clear, the other pitch black. A ring of rocks surrounded the pools and two of the largest seats were opposite sides of the middle, where the two liquids met and danced together. Finn took a seat on the front side of the ponds, with the dark on his left and the light on his right. He placed his saber on his belt and sat. Slowly he took his boots off, and then his socks. Placing both feet into the water, he tensed up; it was always cold. 

The pools were terrible to gaze into for prolonged periods of time, so Finn closed his eyes. He let the light and dark flow through him. Together, neither overpowered the other. He never told Rey about this place, although he had a feeling she knew and had come here by herself. They trusted one another, went on missions together but never seemed to spend much time together (Rey was always by herself. Finn mused she never really got out of that habit after her entire life on Jakku)

. Their last mission was to get Rose out of deep cover and retrieve data pads from an Order outpost. It had gone well, until someone saw their sabers when troopers attacked and they had no choice but to reveal themselves. The people chanted "Jedi, Jedi!" Finn felt elation at that time, smiling and let the energy flow through him exhilarating. But he felt Rey's objection, her clamming up. She didn't think she was a Jedi; she saw too much of herself in Ren. Finn tried to tell her that over and over. But whenever she saw a deserter on the holopad or felt a Force User die by Ren's (or his cronies) hands she seemed to clam up. He felt the dark side in her, but always it was balanced by the Light. 

Finn took his feet out of the waters. He dried them off, putting his socks and boots back on. Meditation calmed his mind until he thought about Rey. She was doubting herself too much,and that reflected on Finn. He knew she didn't mean to, but he felt her one desire. She had been by herself her entire life. She wanted it to end that way too. Finn let his feet take him back towards base while his mind continued to work.

\--

When he broke through the trees, Poe rushed over to Finn and tackled him in a hug.

“Am I glad to see you! How's the training been? Rey roughing you up out there?"

Finn's thoughts slipped away from serious Force stuff back into joking around, a welcome change. "Ha! You wish. You're just fed up that you haven't been able to beat me again in shooting."

"Well it's no fair that you have that magic power." Poe complained. Finn mockingly put his hands up. 

"Hey, you forgot I was a StormTrooper. I was raised to shoot. I was top 1 percent of my class." He let his chest puff out a little.

Poe rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. You were tought to miss a target." He picked up a canister and began to walk away. 

"Again, you wish. Better luck next time." 

Finn turned to go talk to Rose when Poe stopped suddendly. He dropped the canister and walked quickly to Finn. 

"Wait, can you read minds?" Poe's urgent undertone perked Finn's ears up. He shrugged. 

“Not yet, but maybe. Why?” He raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Something you want to tell me Mister Flyguy?”

Poe turned slightly red at the ears and looked at his shifting feet. “Not yet….”

Finn felt that Poe wanted to tell him something but he didn’t press. Instead, he just slapped Poe’s shoulder and smiled. “Well, make sure it’s before I learn how to read minds…don’t wanna see you envisioning yourself dancing to some Correliean music or other junk.” He teased. Poe straightened up again, grinning.

“Yeah, yeah, you know those are good tunes though. Admit it!”

“Poe, Tech wants you.” Rose yelled over the sound of an engine flying above.

Poe nodded and jogged off after another grin at Finn, who watched his friend scurry off. Even though he was still very much a novice in the Force, he knew that Poe was harboring feelings towards him. Finn smiled to himself; at least that much was mutual, though, like with Rey, he wasn't sure how yet. He twirled his saber in his hand and struck a pose before hearing Rose laugh a bit. He jogged up to her and made some chit chat, and soon they headed off towards the mess hall, though at that point, Finn was beginning to worry for Rey’s safety…the storm seemed to migrate their way much quicker than normal.

\---------

Rey broke above the treetops on the tallest rock peak she could find. She stood for a moment, still taking in the green plant life. It would never cease to amaze her how much green there was, even in one place. In the distance, mountains jutted into the green tinted sky, which were soon overtaken by low hanging clouds. There would be a storm, but not for a few days (weather moved extremely slow here).

Rey set her staff on her knees once she sat down and began to meditate. The voices, in retrospect, were easy to control. They knew her heart and, therefore, most of them obeyed her mind. There was one thing, though, that she could not control but wanted—needed—to. Rey put her forearms overtop her knees, palms out like she did just when she began to meditate on Ach-To. The storm seemed to accelerate. It was almost on her. Lightning struck and, in that lightning, even with her eyes closed on the physical plane, Rey saw.

Ren was sitting on his bed, getting ready to lie down, his face covered with a mask. He unhooked his lightsaber and placed it in a secret compartment on the side of his black nightstand. The guttural breathing slowed down and soon he was asleep. Rey opened her eyes, and she was still in Ren’s quarters. The Bond was open.

Rey crept forward. She could only see his mask (evidently, he liked to be cocooned in his blankets), but even then, it wasn’t the mask she knew before. It was much worse, and seemed to be attached to an apparatus. Her fingers nearly brushed the metal, but refrained. She needed to see what had happened to make him into an actual machine. Instead, her hand gravitated towards the secret compartment in his nightstand. Her fingers found the lock quite easy to break into. She drew the hilt out and held it, examining it’s exterior before it’s interior. The exterior was chrome, very…innocent, though it seemed to be just the light side mirror of his cross guard saber. Rey closed her eyes again, wrapping her fingers wholly around the hilt. She searched for the Crystal and indeed she found it.

Almost as clear as day, she saw Ren’s trip to Mustafar and his subsequent findings and torture. Her fingers trembled and breath shook replacing the saber. Ren miraculously didn’t wake, and Rey let out a shaky breath before slowing her mind to be sucked back onto her rocky mountain.

“He’s after more…” she whispered to the sun, though she squinted in its direction. Only a moment, and Rey stood up, dusted herself off, and forged her way through the jungle back to the base.


	19. A wretched spirit is worse than a broken body

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren realizes he can't live as a cyborg  
> Rey and Finn finally come to terms with their deal

Ren’s sleep was riddled with screams and pleas, some from his victims, some from his family, and, worst of all, some from himself. In the midst of action, something began to pull at his consciousness, or perhaps his just hid gut. It felt like her, but it couldn’t be. She had shut him out, and the Force seemed to be inclined to agree with her decision. In his dream, Ren struck down another prisoner. His slight consciousness was inclined to agree with the Force, the Light Side, that was. Rey seemed to be the last bit of light that was drawing him away from all the power he could have. Ren bolted up in bed, flinging off his blankets.

His own breathing startled him before he remembered and pain blossomed in his mind. One of his hands went to touch his face, mask, as he turned to take in his room. It was not homely; black and some white with red accents, a kitchenette in the corner, a large closet, and a nightstand on either side of his bed. His nightstand. Nothing seemed different, but Ren felt something different. He slowly moved his hand from his mask to the secret compartment. Easily his fingers found the combination. The metal was warm though....The compartment opened. His lightsaber was still in there, but in a slightly different position that when he first put it in.

Slowly, he withdrew it. The metal was cold. The feeling was rather new; Ren took it upon himself to create a pair of gloves he could still wear while in presence of the Order and yet disappear if coming in contact with life. But he gave up that idea since the power he knew he could posess, did posess seemed as stubborn as the Scavenger. Even though he tried, with no one to help him...Ren shook his head as if to clear out his jarring thoughts.

It had been a while since Ren felt something with his skin. The last thing was…Rey. Well, no. But that had been the last time he touched someone with any intention other than to get his way. Again, one of his own sharp intakes of breath startled Ren. He forced himself to breathe, and listen to his breathing. There was no use being the most powerful person in the galaxy if you got scared by your own breathing, no matter how inhuman it sounded. Ren finally calmed himself. His new way of vision was weird, computerized. He closed his eyes and instead of everything becoming dark, everything seemed to become bright white. Gasping, he opened his eyes. Everything was normal. He readied himself, and closed his eyes. Backscatter....he chuckled. _Interesting._

There was another secret compartment in his nightstand. Inside were two objects, both of high value to Ren. His hands, bruised and cut, trembled as he reached over, opened the compartment, and withdrew his hand holding the two prizes. One was the crystal he took from Mustafar. Any other time, Ren would have slowly examined it, held it in his hands, felt its power, its beginning and ending. But he couldn't look at it with his own eyes. Quickly, he pocketed it. But the other item...the ring that Rey had given him, the one he found several hours after the Battle of Crait.

“Why?” He muttered, turning the ring over and over in his gloved hand. He had known what it was: a tracker. But why would Rey have put it on him and then just left? Another betrayal.

Even though it would have been nearly impossible, Ren felt like he could crush the lightsaber in his hand at that moment, thinking about her. He wanted her so badly by his side. They could have ruled together. They could have been unstoppable. Well, if there was one thing that his trip to Mustafar taught him was that there was someone who could give him more power. His thoughts from moments ago reignited. He just needed to find this Tor Valium. The crystal weighed down his pocket. That was his ticket out of there. 

“Renee!” Ren jumped out of bed. Well, no, though he wanted to. Slowly and agonizingly turned his legs over the side and they, hunchbacked nearly, grabbed his comm off his nightstand and called into it. A moment later, Renee answered.

“Yes, Supreme Leader?”

“I am embarking on an expedition.”

“Sir?”

She hadn't viewed him the same way since he became marred. Ren shook his head and pushed himself off the bed. “You heard me. Tell Maverick to have my ship ready.” He could almost hear the salute.

“Shall I contact the Knights of Ren, Sir?” Even though Renee was strong and self willed, Ren knew there was a small amount of her that still needed to be revered as such. So prideful...

“No. Keep them on their assignment. I shall go on this alone.”

“Right away, Sir.” Renee said, and the line went silent.

Ren picked out a new outfit, still all black, this time with a cape and hood. If he could help it, he didn’t want anyone to know it was him and that his helmet couldn’t be removed now. He looked at the ring he had placed on his nightstand. It’s chrome edges glanced light off of them but the hard red resin- Ren knew to be a heat-activated tracker- absorbed light. He almost left it on his nightstand, but something popped into his head. Turning on his heel, Ren grabbed an old necklace from the closet. Carefully, he threaded it through the ring and he placed it beneath his outershirt. When the time came, he would chose when she would come.

Looking around once again, Ren regarded his room. It seemed so inconsequential, yet it was another home he would leave. Nostalgia almost took hold, but Ren crushed it. He picked up his saber, strapped it to his side, and walked out, head held high. He saluted at Renee and gave a curt nod at Maverick, who miraculously was not dead. But, Ren supposed, it would be hard to kill someone you endeared and needed for strategic reasons, even if you were someone like Renee. He bid farewell, knowing full well that if, no, when he returned, he would not be the same person that left.

He entered his ship. It was so familiar, yet so alien, everything was slightly distorted by his new vision. But, the one thing that really mattered was the crystal. Ren set coordinated for just outside First Order control. Once there, he took out the crystal and set it on the dash. Ren allowed the Force to wash over him, let the power and the story of the Crystal flow through him. The coordinates entered his mind like an intrusive thought. His fingers flew over the controls and he was off.

There was no contact with the outside world; even his bond with Rey seemed fractured as he sped through lightspeed. For once, he was truly alone. Staring at the strips of light within the blue tunnel, Ren leaned back in his seat. Never once had he had a moment to himself. Especially since Snoke came into his life. And for a while, he didn’t want to be alone; he wanted to grow, he wanted to first grow in power, then…finally…grow close to someone. But then it was all a lie. Something conjured up by his old master. Well, he had broken free.

_You haven’t broken free yet, Ben. The Force is not meant to be taken from others._

Ren gripped the controls as he dropped out of light speed. The voice was another distorted version, seemingly of Anakin’s. Either way, it didn’t matter. He practically snarled.

“That’s because you failed.”

He navigated an intense gravitational storm before being able to see the scorched surface of a red planet.

“And I won’t.”

\-----------------------------

“Rey, what is it?”

She had bounded into the mess hall and made a bee line for Finn. “I need to talk to you. Alone.”

Rose and Poe looked curiously at Finn, who lightly grabbed Rey’s wrist and pulled her down to his level. He whispered in her ear. “Is this about…Ren?” They locked eyes.

“Yes.”

Finn let go of her wrist and attempted to excuse himself from the table but Poe and Rose stood up at the same time.

“We know what this is about, Rey. Don’t stop us from helping.” Poe said. Rey stood to her full height, still having to look up to meet Poe’s eyes.

“Finn made a deal with me-“

“Well, we didn’t!” Rose piped up.

Rey signed and took her disapproving gaze from Poe to Rose. “I need to talk to Finn. Alone.” Her voice was unwavering, but once again, a dark force seemed to make her fingers itch for her lightsaber.

Thankfully, Finn noticed, or felt, her anxiousness and sternly warded Rose and Poe off.

“Let’s go outside…”

They walked out the hanger into the dense wilderness until they reached one of their meditation spots: two small pools of water, one crystal clear, the other pitch black. They met as a figure eight sidn, mixing slightly but never overtaking the other. Around the edges were eight rocks. Instead of sitting at opposite ends or sides, Finn and Rey took two adjacent rocks and sat with their backs to the pools, overlooking the forest instead.

“I opened the Bond.” Rey confessed.

“What??” Finn’s eyes went wide.

“I had to, Finn, so I could see what he was doing. I had felt so much pain…”

“But why did you open it? He could have taken you, he could have found out where you are! This could have compromised the Resistance’s base!” Finn spun around ad Rey did her best to push her insecurities out into the Force, but half failed. She put her hands on her hips as Finn began to pace.

“You sure Poe isn’t using your mouth right now?” She raised an eyebrow at Finn’s reddened ears but dismissed it getting back to the matter at hand.

“Rey, I know what you are thinking. You can’t go after him alone.” Finn stopped backing and grabbed her hands. Regretfully, she pulled them away.

“You have to remember our deal, Finn.” She looked away, biting her lip. She sensed his hurt, but also his resign.

“What will I do then?”

Rey looked at the clear pond when a memory came to her. Her eyes lit up with the idea. “I read something in the Jedi Texts; there was an Old Republic beacon on Coruscant. I know that our communications have been jammed and this way we could finally get more people to help the Resistance, and have it be a distraction.”

Finn stepped away, mulling it all over. He nodded. “That’s a job for Rose and Poe. What about me?”

Rey signed; she had hoped he wouldn’t press so much. But, there was something weighing on her heart. 

“Back on Corellia there was this little girl…There was something special about her. If I don’t make it back, I want you to go out into the stars and train children in the ways of the Force. Not the ones with families yet, and they don’t all have to be completely Force sensitive, but give them a home. If Rose or Poe can help, let them. But only after the war is over. And when I complete my mission, it will be.” She stood up and took his hand. Even though his muscles tensed as if to pull away, Finn didn’t. He also didn’t quite look at her, but kept his eyes on the pools.

“So please, Finn, keep our deal. If Rose and Poe _and you_ ,” she emphasized, “get the beacon working, and I get my part done, then balance will be restored.”

Finn looked at his feet. “As you wish.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is about a day after his operation. This is also where Ren begins to break.  
> The timeline might seem messy (at least it does to me) This is the night that Ren came back from Mustafar, after his operation. And so this is straight after Rey and Finn's meditations.


	20. They reached out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren continues to learn under Tor Vallum  
> Rey continues her path of fate

The dusty red planet felt empty. Ren reached out with the Force and felt little; maybe a handful of creatures were left alive on that planet. Even so, as he reached out, one presence grew in might. His hand gravitated towards his saber.

Ren continued to walk among the bones, some making forests reaching and piercing the brown hued sky, others like gardens; bare, broken, breathless gardens. His feet traveled forward without concern for the brittle bones beneath. Ren nearly acted to remove his helmet but his hands stopped. He lit his lightsaber and swung it at the ground, scarring what was already dead. He cntinued walking, his sensors beginning to alert him to one lifeform nearby. A low wind cut through the bone forests. Ren looked back as he approached a fissure between the mountains. He held his lightsaber up high, allowing the blue light to cast deeper shadows beyond its deadly light. He stepped forward. 

“Sidious? Is that you my apprentice?”

Ren’s blue blade swung inches away from an eight eyed figure, who he assumed the croaking voice issued from. He stepped back and watched the creature’s eyes dilate. It moved two of it’s arms to cover as much of its face to block out the dazzling light. Its vibrant purple rimmed lips pursed as it used their remaining six legs to scuttle backwards on its rocky perch. Ren kept his blade up, almost enjoying watching the creature squirm. He did not have to guess who this creature was. Simply, he lowered his lightsaber and let his eyes roam over the creature's own eight, now wide open, adjusted to the light. 

"Tor Vallum." He stated. 

“You are not Sidious," Tor scuttled further backwards on his perch, causing rocks to dribble down the sides. "Who are you and how did you find me?” 

Ren scanned the creature. It appeared weak. In his mind, Ren began to wonder if this had been a mistake. But then again, looks could be deceiving. He pushed into the creature's mind. It seemed hollow; there used to be so much power and now it was eroded, empty. A wasteland, just like this planet. But even as he pried, Ren felt the creature regain some strength. Immediately, he stepped out of Tor's mind, not wanting the beast to be awoken...just yet. 

"I am Kylo Ren, the Grandson of Darth Vader, heir to the Empire of the First Order.”

“Then why are you here, Kylo Ren?”

Ren raised his lightsaber once more to the creature’s eye level. The Blue was so out of place. “To learn the greatest power of all. And you will show me how to control it.”

The old creature simply laughed. It stood shakily on all its feet, fully accustomed to the light of the saber.

“You are not a Sith yet you still came here.” Without Tor even lifting a finger, Ren was Pushed to his knees.

“I am no Jedi either …” he began. His saber was thrown from his hand.

“You are a child in a mask!”

“No!” Ren Pulled his saber back to his hand, ignited it, and went in for a kill strike when he remembered. He had received his confirmation. Now, this Tor Vallum needed his own confirmation. He still held his saber to strike, but stopped advancing. Instead, he held out his free hand at the creature and lowered his head, not in reverence, but concentration.

“What are you doing, child?”

“Taking what is rightfully mine…”

Sand like particles gathered in the air after leaving Tor Vallum. The old creature rose into the air slightly, his legs flailing, eyes rolling into the back of his head. Ren would have stopped before he saw a Gronk Boar hurdling down the mountain at full speed, but because of that intrusion, he was forced to. 

The beast must have weighed as much as a standard AT-AT. Its four hooved made indent into the ground as large as towing freighter, just as deep too. Ren’s eyes would have shown split second fear until he lithely dodged the Boar’s first horned attack. It took close to a quarter mile to finally slow, carving up rock and dust in its wake.

Ren took his concentration off of Tor and swung into a defensive position, waiting for the animal to attack again. As expected, the Boar stomped its feet and charged, except this time Ren ducked and blindly threw his saber at the animal. Three of its legs disconnected from the body. Without the support, the boar collapsed to the ground, sending up a dust cloud half the mountain's height.

Ren fully turned around (his mask was not great for peripheral vision) and stood to his full height, walking briskly towards his fallen attacker.

The dust finally settled, allowing Ren to see the creature, not so mighty now, writing in its own dark blood. An itching sensation crawled over Ren, and he knew what to do, except this time he knew it would not be inturrupted. Instead of waiting for Tor Vallum to approach, though approach the old creature did from behind, Ren streached out his hand. He searched through the Force, and found the source of the Boar's life. Ren grasped onto that feeling. He physically crushed his hand into a fist and drew it close to his heart. 

The Gronk became another carcass to be eatn away by the wind. Ren bent down and retrieved his saber, finally remembering he was not alone.

Tor Vallum laughed. Ren whirred around, keeping his saber ready in case his company decided he was too much of a threat. 

“I stand corrected. You are no child! Come closer. I will show you how to control this ultimate power of yours. Only with my teaching will you finally become the greatest Force User alive!”

Ren bit down his hatred of Rey, his only true rival, the only one he knew could posses this power to its fullest, as well as the other feelings he still harbored for her. Tor Vallum crawled back towards his perch yet did not retreat back onto it. Rather, he nimbly climbed around it and leveled with Ren. His eight eyes bore into the mask that covered Ren’s own.

“Now, my apprentice, follow me.”

Rey sank down in her cot on the Falcon. They always wanted to use it for missions, some of which she went on, but it was hers, and she wouldn’t let anyone else touch it. Except maybe Poe, but that’s because he’d steal it otherwise. She almost chuckled at the reminder but it was squandered. She folded her hands together on her stomach and closed her eyes.

“What should I do?” she asked the air. “I want to go after Ren. Our Bond will never shut if I don’t end him.”

_Are you sure you would be the one to survive?_

Rey opened and rolled her eyes. The voices were helpful sometimes, other times just plain annoying.

“I have to. The light had to win over the dark.”

Another voice, this time a very familiar one, popped into her mind.

_Rey, you know that the Jedi and the Sith are old. Don’t follow in dead people’s paths._

“Leia,” Rey whispered. But Leia's voice fell silent. Rey mused it was probably because her thoughts ran rampant once more. She knew that the Jedi were finished. That line had ended with Luke. But she didn’t know where the Sith ended; was Kylo Ren a Sith? She had consulted all the old Jedi texts. They gave some useful information, but they were not captivating reading material.

“Ugh, why am I still stuck?” Rey punched at the air.

_Because you already know what you are going to have to do and a small part of you fears change._

The female voice just aggravated Rey. She had enough of the Jedi voices. She was ready for darker ones.

“Rey.”

He was surrounded by a red hue.

“Ren.” She breathed.

“Do you know where I am?” He asked, his voice huskey as ever. Yet his fingers itched for the lightsaber on his side.

“No. Why should I?” Rey pushed herself out of bed and grabbed her own lightsaber.

The edges of his mouth twitched. “Do you want to know?”

Rey felt her mouth go dry as she watched him grab something from around his neck. The same neck she had healed. He yanked down at a chain and something small hung off it. He held it out, the necklace draped over his fist with the ring dangling beneath. 

“The tracker,” she whispered. Ren nodded.

“A piece of you wants to know where I am. You can still join me, Rey.” 

She couldn't see his eyes, nor his face. It was hidden, covered with a mask. But it was not the same mask she had seen last time. It was not one he used to split himself off from his true nature. It was his true nature, his true mask. It was keeping him alive, and that thought caused Rey to grab at her own face. 

“I am a…I’m meant to defeat you Sith.” She spit out. But immediately, she knew that to be incorrect. Still, she tightened her grip on her lightsaber but stomped her foot and looked away from Ren.

“Stop lying to yourself. You don’t have to join me, Rey. But don’t tell yourself you are so different from me.” He took the ring off of the necklace and placed it on his middle finger, the same middle finger Rey had placed it on. She watched with squinted, unbelieving eyes. But immediately, a small beep came from one of the panels on her belt. She looked down at the alert and in that the Bond broke.

Rey couldn’t believe it. She would have to act quickly. As her hand grasped her lightsaber, something cold washed over her. She ignited her lightsaber one way, pointed towards the ceiling. The purple hue covered the small room. There was a small mirror above her desk. Rey turned towards it, her eyes holding the beam in perfect sync. Within the blade she saw balance, the equal levels of red and blue. Peace finally washed over her, a peace she had been searching for.

She shut off the saber and looked into her reflection. Eyes set with determination, her shoulders still weighed down, but this time with purpose, with intent. She gathered her bag with enough supplies for a few days, and hefted it over her shoulder. She clipped her lightsaber onto her belt, turning to leave.

She left her hand on the doorframe, looking into another room she would never see again. “Goodbye, Solo.”

Then, a familiar whine hit her ears. “Chewie?”

They hadn’t seen each other much; he was always off in the stars, pulling on his contacts for the Resistance, and she was always training, staying on the ground.

He roared, but the words were only half of what Rey expected. “I’m going to try, Chewie.”

His huge frame engulfed her in a Wookie hug. She could barely hold back her tears. If she stayed any longer she wouldn’t want to leave. She finally found her family. And, in order to save the galaxy, she had to leave it. Chewie let go and Rey nodded, forcing resolve into her body even though she grimaced at the thoughts. She was going to leave when Chewie gave a soft roar. Rey raised her eyebrows.

“Wait, what?”

Chewie dropped the keys to the Falcon in her hand. She looked at the metal. So insignificant by itself, but paired with the right person, it was formidable to all, hated by some, but absolutely prized by those that really cared.

“Why don’t you give it to him?”

_Grrrrrrrrrraaaaa!_

“Ok, ok.” Rey put the necklace on. “Thank you, Chewie. For everything.”

He whined and watched her leave. Another one of his friends, knowingly willing to give their lives for the galaxy. He was old, but still had one last fight in him. And Chewie knew he would fight for her. Everyone would.

Rey headed towards the shipyard. She wore a poncho over her “Jedi’ outfit as most liked to tease her about. The ships were close, so she quickened her step. She nearly drew her saber when a hand touched her shoulder from behind.

“Finn!”

“Rey, I…”

“Finn, I need to do this.” She raised her hand, but the quick movement still sent a sharp pain up to her shoulder. Finn didn’t say anything for a moment, he just searched her eyes. His hands seemed to have minds of their own, fidgeting at his hips. They stayed in silence for seconds more and then Finn practically jumped on Rey, enveloping her entirely in a hug. He first buried his face in her shoulder and after a tight second she did the same.

They had gotten close, but Rey still held herself an arms length away from anyone she knew she would care about. But in that moment, there was no space. She stood on her toes and closed her eyes, allowing this one moment of closeness because she knew there would never be another like it.

“I know you have to go, Rey.” Finn said, finally letting go, though his hand still held hers.

“I do…” She really looked at her friend. He had grown so much from their first meeting. His hair was longer, his jacket new, he had a lightsaber on his belt and, even though he was deeply saddened, an aura of hope spread about him. Her fingers tightened around his hand.

“But before I do, I have something for you,” She remembered. Even though she had been planning on tossing them out into hyperspace, this seemed to be a better solution. She took one of the bags off her shoulder. Finn tentatively took it and slung it over his shoulder, opening it.

“The Jedi texts?”

Rey nodded. “You can keep them if you want. But Luke was right, the Jedi’s time is over. I know that you will do the right thing with these.”

Finn looked at the old books; he had searched through them before with Rey, but now they were his. He squinted his eyes while thinking, then gave a self satisfied nod, closing the bag and hefting it behind his back. And then Rey took out something he wasn’t expecting at all.

“The keys to the Falcon?”

He sounded so surprised Rey could finally muster a tiny smile. “Yeah, I would like you to give them to Poe. He’d steal it either way so might as well be a gift.”

Finn lit up seeing Rey smile, but her eyes clouded over and his face fell. “I know I cannot make you promise to come back,” he began. His lip wavered and he pumped himself up and down, toe heel, toe heel. “I love you, Rey.”

She leveled her soft eyes with his and gave his hand a squeeze, though a half smile played on her lips. “I know.”

They embraced again, letting time slow just for that moment.

“Finn!” Rose’s voice over his commlink startled the pair apart. He looked at the blinking link regretfully, but Rey nodded before any words needed sharing. She nodded, and Finn returned the favor.

Turning, he brought his commlink up to his mouth. “Yeah, Rose. I’m on my way. And get Poe. He’ll like the surprise I have for him.”

Rey watched her friend go off to save the galaxy with the others he cared about, while she turned, alone. She squared her shoulders and looked at the spacecraft before her. A mischevious idea popped into her head. Poe’s X-wing was right there…Well, she definetly gave him a fair trade.

“She donned a Rebel helmet, turned on the controls, and got the ship in the air. Before exiting the atmosphere, she placed the tracker from Ren’s ring on the dash. It beeped, showing his location.

“I’m coming, Ren.” She whispered. Hyperspace enveloped her.


	21. The Temple Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn takes his position as leader  
> Ren continues to learn under Tor Vallum

Finn caught up to Rose just as Poe came jogging around the corner. “What is it?”

“I looked into Rey’s plan, for the possible beacon on Coruscant. There is nothing; no electronics, not even the past Republic’s.”

Finn ran a hand through his hair. “Wait, she didn’t say it was electronic…” Pulling the bag off his shoulder, he shook his head and grabbed one of the books.

“Wait, those are the Jedi text!” Rose exclaimed, kneeling down as Finn plopped himself in the dirt.

“Yes, Rey gave to me, just now.”

Poe had his hands on his knees, steadying his breathing then shot right up. “Hey, who’s taking my ride?!”

Finn smirked to himself for half a second and grabbed the keys Rey had given him. He shoved them into Poe’s hand and continued to flip through the books furiously. It took a moment and Poe registered what they were for.

“No way!” He looked from the keys to the Falcon, to his empty X-wing spot. “Fine, she can have the X-wing.”

“She thought so.” Finn said as he threw that book to the side. He sat there long enough for the sun to begin setting before finding what he wanted. “Ah ha!” His finger on the page, he looked around, but Rose and Poe had left him. He put his pile of books back into the bad, slung it on his shoulder, and ran to the control room. “It’s not electronic!”

Poe’s head shot up as the door banged shut behind Finn. “What? How? Wait, what problem is this?”

“I am so glad I didn’t burn these yet…” Finn marched over to Poe and slammed the book down on the table. He pointed at the schematics on the page. “It’s powered by Kyber crystals! That’s Why Rose couldn’t find any schematics, and that’s why it hasn’t been wiped off the map by the First Order! Now, we can take a small team, there’s bound to be many troopers as Coruscant is the headquarters of the Order now, but maybe as the three of us go and power up the Temple, two others can go and plant something in the Order’s systems, maybe even bomb the building….”

“Finn, slow down.” Poe rubbed his temples. “We can maybe get two shuttles down to the surface, MAYBE. But we’ve lost too many pilots, too many good people. We cannot launch a full attack on Coruscant.”

“I’m not asking for that!” Finn held his hand out to Rose, who just entered. “Help me,” he implored. “Tell Poe we don’t need a full attack, just a three-man team to get in and get out.”

“With…?” She walked over and saw the schematics. Immediately, she grabbed the book. Por raised an eyebrow and wiped his face with his hand as Finn fidgeted with the lightsaber on his belt.

“This is amazing. I mean, powered by Kyber crystals? I haven’t seen anything like this….”

“So?” Finn and Poe asked in unison. A sly smile crossed Rose’s face.

“I can fix it. We can get a signal. Three people and we have it secured.”

Poe threw his hands up. “I can’t go. We have too many fighters out as is and I myself need to finish Leia’s job; staying here.” He tapped the table and bit his lip. “Rose. You, Finn, and…and Chewie. Take one of the Junkers and get out of here. Be quiet though. I’m not sure we can spare anyone if you get in a mess.”

Rose and Finn nodded at each other.

“Alright, now get out of here. The sooner you get this thing operational, the sooner Hope can be reignited and we can finally burn down the First Order.”

Rose took the book and headed out, but Finn lingered. Poe looked up from the holopad in his hand.

“You sure you can’t come?” Finn asked. Poe shook his head.

“Sorry, but the General can’t galivant anymore.”

“The General can appoint someone to take over for one last mission.” Finn tried to make it playful but it didn’t work. There was a feeling at the pit of his gut that made any sort of happy facial movements impossible. Poe saw the cloud overcome his friend.

“I can’t come…but that’s because I have a surprise.” His eyes danced. Finn thought the green from the holotables’ lights make them all the more mischievous and easier to get lost in.

“A surprise? Hopefully a good one, though knowing you it’ll blow up something.” Joking didn’t make the pit in his stomach any less noticeable, but perhaps not so sickening.

Poe wouldn’t let anything else slip. “Now, Commander, get on your ship and get to Coruscant. We have an Order to burn.”

“Yes, General.” Finn finally smiled as Poe smirked. As he turned away, he bit his lip. Maybe his feelings _were_ reciprocated. Well, that would have to be found out after this mission.

He stopped by his bunk, grabbed a small bag and stuffed it with everything he could think of.

“Alrighty.” He turned to leave when a ringing filled his ears. The Jedi texts. They didn’t want to be forgotten. Finn picked up the bag and slung it over his other shoulder. There.

“You ready?” Rose called from the cockpit. Chewie roared and Finn sat.

“Alright, Coruscant, here we come.”

Chewie landed the ship after miraculously getting past the blockade.

“Alright, we are here. Let’s get to the lower levels of the city and sneak into the Temple from there.”

Rose grabbed her small bag and scurried out from the ship, dragging the speeder they had brought along. Finn made sure his lightsaber was accessible, but not visible, and grabbed a spare helmet, donning it. Better be safe than sorry.

He got on the back of the speeder with Rose at the wheel. Chewie would stay near the ship and monitor for First Order reinforcements.

The speeder descended into the mouth of Coruscant. So much chatter, so many speeders and cruisers barely visible in the smog anymore. After a short descent, Rose made a sharp turn into an alleyway. Finn scanned their surroundings. There were dozens of Troopers, but none seemed alerted to their presence.

Rose set the speeder down and hopped off. Finn followed and nearly ran into her as she stood still, gaping at the ruins before her. Once the Magestic symbol of the Jedi covered in burns, scortch marks, and dead bodies only left for pillagers.

“Wow.” Rose breathed out. Finn’s fingers itched for his Lightsaber.

“There’s a dark presence here.” He stated as he shoved himself around Rose. He ran his hand along the stone wall as they entered a hallway. “The Light has nearly disappeared.”

“Well, you’re here now.” Rose commented. “We are here. And we have a mission.”

“I know, I know. There’s just…” His eyes roamed around the deserted halls, greyed out and crumbling. “Power is held beneath us. I can feel it.”

“You’ve been hanging around Rey too much, you’re starting to speak like her.” Rose quipped. She grabbed his arm and hauled him along. “Don’t get distracted. Why are you distracted? You usually aren’t like this.”

That knot in his stomach only intensified. “Both sides of the Force are here. The dark overpowers the light. I—I can’t keep my mind shut from the voices.”

Rose looked up at him. He could barely keep his eyes in one place. She reached for his hand and squeezed it tight.

“Hey!”

“I don’t try to understand these mystics, but what I do know is that you can and will fight this because we need to get this job done. Okay?”

Finn’s hand rested on his lightsaber. Feeling the metal brought him back to reality. “Okay.”

Even his eyes seemed to calm down as they focused on Rose. “Good,” she said. “Now, I don’t know where this beacon is. I think you’ll have to find it.”

Finn’s shoulders heaved as he took a deep breath. “Alright. I can do this.”

He reached out his hand, but there was nothing to feel through the air. His knees weighted his to the floor, and so his fingertips touched the dusty stone floor. His eyebrows furrowed as his arm muscles tensed. Rose took a step back.

Finn felt the light and dark surge through him. Both cried out because of their losses. But through it, there was a division, a streak of grey. In his mind’s eye, Finn walked towards it.

Rose started as Finn suddenly jumped up, needing to run to catch up to her friend. Finn saw himself walking, yet he was running. The grey path winded through the deserted halls, but that’s not how Finn saw it. He saw the light, and beneath he saw the dark. He was walking on that grey line. And then, it stopped. He pushed at a grand door and the trance broke. His hand was extended into an open space, no door left as a safeguard. But before him and Rose was a great room. An empty, great room.

“It’s here.” He said, sounding so confident.

Rose left his side and walked along the circular wall. On her second sweep (while Finn stood in the center of the room looking outward at the walls and ceiling), she found a wall plugin. She squatted down and pulled out a droid’s arm, beginning to fiddle with the mechanism. A wall panel came off, but it was not the device, rather, it was a small vault. She reached her hand in and pulled out a small lightsaber, probably fit for a kid.

“Hey, Finn,” she called. He wasn’t there when she looked over her shoulder. He was at the far side of the room, holding something in his hand. A cloth. A robe, fit for a child.

_What happened here?_

“Stand back,” Finn’s voice cut through the stagnant air. Rose looked around, no where to go, but she grabbed the rest of the contents of the secret vault, stuffed them in her bag, and stood with her back against the wall.

Finn stretched out his hand. He gritted his teeth, his fist clenched around the child’s robe. A darkness passed over his face. Rose watched intently until the ground began to rise up from the center of the room. Finn pulled his hand up, grasping the device from the ground with the Force. The ground rumbled and stones fell, but the device was resurrected.

Covered in runes and highlighted with gold on each of the top five tiers, the device certainly held power. Beneath those top five tiers were another five, solid black with red highlights. Between them was a chamber, a chamber of Kyber crystals.

“Woah,” The couple said in unison. Finn swayed and leaned on the wall for a moment as Rose rushed towards the device.

Rose brushed her fingers against the runes. They did nothing. “Finn, did any of those old books tell you how to start this thing?”

He pushed himself off the wall and walked over. As he knelt down, he finally let go of the child’s robe. His hands floated centimeters away from the stone. “I tried to read it but I’m no expert in the ancient language.”

He attempted to push himself off the ground. When his hand touched the rune filled stone, the runes lit up silver and gold. The device turned on; the Kyber crystals began to glow Teal. Finn glanced at his lightsaber and turned it on. The blade matched the color of the device’s crystals. The couple looked at each other with wide eyes. Finn shrugged.

“At least it’s on now.”

“Yeah, there’s that.” Rose had made her way around the beacon, information chip in hand. “But there’s no data port to input the chip.”

Finn shut off his lightsaber. “We might not need one.”

Rose raised an eyebrow and put her hands on her hips.

“We thought this was a regular device, no it’s not. It’ll go to every system, every planet and it’ll touch down, activating the temple beacons. We don’t need a literal message!”

Rose pursed her lips. “How do you know this?”

Finn looked down at the child’s cloak. “Because that’s what the runes say.”

Rose shook her head in disbelief but put away the chip. “Alright then, do your Force stuff.”

Finn nodded and turned towards the device. The Kyber crystals were about eyeheight, as was the line between the light and dark stones. He hooked his lightsaber back on his belt and rolled his sleeves up. Tentatively, he placed his right hand on the sixth tier and his left hand on the fifth tier. He closed his eyes. “Be with me. I am one with the Force and the Force is with me, I am one with the Force and the Force is with me.”

The beacon’s light intensified ten fold. The crystals hummed, louder and louder; the room seemed to amplify it. Rose covered her ears but to Finn it was a beautiful sound. He kept his hands on the stones, though his right one began to slip down as the beacon shook.

No one could look directly as a teal beam erupted from the top of the temple.

\----------------------------------

Ren followed Tor Vallum across the dust blown surface. The wight spindly legs carried the ancient teacher much faster than Ren thought; he nearly had to jog to keep up. But soon, they were at their destination. Mountains pierced the ruined sky but before them was the mouth of a cave. Tor scooted to the side, his joints popping.

“What are we doing here?: Ren asked as he glanced from his new teacher into the darkness before him.

“I want you to call out the creature,” Tor instructed, his words falling from his mouth like goo.

Ren turned his attention from Tor to the cave. He reached out his hand, his fingers bending as if to rake out the lifeform. His eyes flew open. “There is nothing left in here. There is nothing alive in that cave.”

“Then you are still weak.”

“I am not,” Ren growled. His fingers curled at his side. Several of Tor’s eyes roamed towards them.

“Then prove me wrong. Call out that creature. Then, perhaps I can determine if you are worthy of my teachings.”

Ren’s mouth twitched up in a grimace as he looked from Tor into the cave. He extended his hand, fingers twitching, shaking. He closed his eyes. There it was. Ren Grabbed onto the creature. It resisted, very well. It seemed to tap into the Force. Ren tripped over his feet; his line on the creature was beginning to drag him forward. He pulled his hand back, as if it would help. Yet his feet continued to dig into the ground.

Tor watched intently, all his eyes focused on Ren. “You tried to find balance before. You strove to, because you finally thought that the Dark side wasn’t enough. If you succeed in this, the Dark side will be the ultimate ally-you will not need to find peace. Only your emotions will determine your future, nothing else.”

Ren failed to hear him. The beast was nearly too strong. He extended his other hand and put down a knee. He let the silence of the planet fill him, let the sounds of the beast fade away. There was no more struggle within him. Tor watched as the beast was Pulled out of the cave. It’s thick, matted fur blended in with the red dust its hooved kicked up. The beast shook the earth but Ren stayed unperturbed.

“Good, good. Now—”

Ren took his focus off dragging the beast out into the light to taking the last bit of light out of the beast. He imagined it, small, dim, but there. With one hand clenched at his knee, Ren kept the beast in place. With his outstretched hand, Ren pulled at that light. Particles of the beast peeled off as if sandblasted. All to reveal a pulsating light. Ren opened his eyes and stood up. He released his clenched hand and walked towards the carcass.

The light pumped like a heartbeat, but it was fading. Even though it would have been amazing to study, that was an interest of Ben Solos. Not Kylo Rens. Ren reached out and touched the lifeforce of the creature. It burned, burned through his veins.

Beneath the mask, he smiled. He could _feel_ again.

\-------------

The light ripped through the sky, through systems to individual planets. Every connection it could make, the teal beam struck down. Dozens, hundreds of planets and billions of creatures saw the beam. Some knew what it meant, others did not. But inside every one of those that witnessed it were filled with one thing: hope.

\-----------------

Finn still had his hands on the device. He didn’t want to let go. The power was coursing through him as well, and for once, he could see what Rey saw. A balance. He had been so blinded, but now.

“Come on! This place will be swarming with buck heads in seconds.” Rose grabbed his right arm. As his left hand was still placed on the red runes, Darkness flooded Finn’s thoughts. He didn’t want to let go. He couldn’t let go. Knowledge, power, it was all right there. He could face Ren, he could defeat the Order. He just needed a few more seconds….

“Finn!” Rose yanked him away. The connection was broken with Finn’s mind, but the beacon kept on.

“I was so close!” Finn yelled, finally realizing that the beacon was practically screaming with a high pitch at the unbalance. It died down, but not soon enough. Troopers flooded the building. Rose’s blaster was shot out of her hand. Instinctively, she dove behind cover, the beacon. Finn grabbed his lightsaber and began deflecting the blasts. But even he was slowing down. Rose didn’t have another blaster.

She took out one of the bombs she had in her bag and threw it. Finn used that to rush forward and take out as many Troopers as possible. He was faring well, allowing the pulsating beam from the device to give him strength. He let the runes speak in his mind, guiding his moves. One of the Troopers slipped behind him.

Rose’s hand enclosed on the lightsaber she had picked up from the vault. She heard the Trooper getting closer. She switched the blade on and in one deft move decapitated the bucket head.

Finn had finished off the rest of the troopers in the hall and finally looked over his shoulder at his companion. She kept the lightsaber on, though the blade was a little small for her size. The green illuminated her figure mysteriously.

“Ya know, I think you’ve been hiding this thing because it’s pretty fun to handle.” Rose looked in saw at the device and Finn let a smile overcome him for a second.

“Yeah, we’re gonna have to talk about this later, come on!”

“Oh, so we’ve switched roles now, huh?”

Either way, Rose and Finn ran down the hall. They heard Troopers moving in. Finn let the Force guide him, and after three right turns and two left turns downwards, they found an abandoned hallway with an exit. They reached an apartment near the outskirts of town and Finn froze.

“What? What is it?”

\----------------

Ren looked up. He felt something moving. Tor even followed his gaze.

“You sense it,” he said.

Ren made no comment. Merely, he extended his hand towards the sky and clenched his fist.

\-------------------------

Finn looked at the sky. The light was frozen.

“We’ve already lost this fight.”


	22. Not the last Battle but the last Alliance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Rey confront each other

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's been a while, I went through like three versions of this chapter so I hope this one still goes with whatever theme I think I've settled on :/

Rey jostled as the X-wing jumped out of hyperspace.

“Why would he come here?” She whispered to herself as the spacecraft’s autopilot turned off. She began to descend towards the red planet’s surface. Everything was dead, only a few signs of life; most were very weak, as her scanners revealed. The tracker was leading her straight towards the most powerful of them. “I’m here, Ren. Come and play.”

Ren looked from the sky back towards Tor.

“You have gained power,” he began. Ren held up a finger at Tor.

“I have gained The power.” His voice was distorted as always and his shoulders heaved. “Where are more creatures? I need as much power as I can get. She is close.”

“She? There is another like you? Here?” Tor ran one of his cleft feet down his small, rounded chin and closed all of his eyes. “Yes, and she is even more powerful than you, though she is caging it up.” He opened a pair of his eyes to look at Ren, but still searched. “I could show her more than you could ever learn,” he whispered.

Ren’s shoulders didn’t heave anymore- they shook. He stepped towards Tor, finally finding him disgusting, revolting. A traitor. And Traitors didn’t deserve to live. The finger he had held up stayed as Ren turned the simple gesture into a vice. All of Tor’s eyes opened and blinked, his spindly legs waved around in the air, clawing at his face, at the invisible hand gripping him.

“I wanted more creatures. I won’t have the time. But you, you will do just fine.”

He concentrated his hate, his desires, his pain into the Vice. His hands were shaking, straining, but it was happening again. Tor began to scream something high pitched, terrible and loud, surely calling all creatures left of the planet by his side. Before long, though, his voice box was turned to dust.

Ren turned his head slightly to the side as his new sensors picked up the whine of a ship approaching. She would have to wait.

The last particles were stripped away from Tor, revealing a flickering, but still bright, orb of life force. Ren approached it slowly, letting his feet crunch up the dust and bones underfoot. The orb flinched at his touch but obeyed, entering his fingers. His veins glowed as new life surged through him. His body that had been aching now felt empowered.

The whine of a ship stopped a short distance away, actually near his own ship. If he could, Ren would have raised his eyebrows, surprised that she hadn’t blown his ship up. He turned around, leaving his lightsaber on his belt and watched her spacecraft touch down.

Rey took the tracker off the dashboard, pocketed it, made sure her saberstaff was in hand and took off her helmet. The red surface was slightly distorted by the curve of the X-wing’s hood, though it wasn’t much better once she exited the cockpit.

She landed lightly on the surface, dust billowed beneath her feet at her landing and continued to do so as she walked away from the craft. She didn’t need to look at the tracker to feel Ren’s presence, though for the moment he was out of sight; the only clear thing in front of her was a path between two mountains. She walked the path, felt the bones break beneath her feet, looked up at the sky and saw the stars beginning to appear.

The shadows of the mountains engulfed her as she neared the fissure. As her eyes became adjusted to the darkness, she let her hands wander of the rocks. They were ancient, as old as time. Every so often, her fingers would get caught in cracks or cuts within the rocks. Sometimes she felt the Dark side pulled at her fingertips, the cracks upon closer inspection, old runes. Her feet stopped at the fissure. There were two paths she could take, neither were lit; the sun was beginning to creep dangerously low towards the horizon. Rey took her saberstaff in her hand but did not ignite it, rather, she strapped it onto her back and readied herself.

A simple run and leap, assisted by a Force push, and she was at a plateau, hundreds of units away from the ground. Rocks teetered, unsure of the new weight, but Rey stepped lightly. From her point, she could see over the fissure and its two pathways, both of which were deserted. Beyond them, however, she saw an expansive plain. Without aid, she could only see so far, but reaching out, she felt him. Quickly, she climbed to a larger plateau. From there, she sprinted off the edge, jumped to the opposite of the fissure and its canyon wall, off the canyon wall into the plain. She rolled and then stood.

Ren watched the small figure jump off the mountain, onto the canyon wall, and off it. She dusted herself off and looked in his direction. He stood up from his meditation and began walking towards her. She did not have a lightsaber strapped to her side, no. His sensors rang an alarm: she did have a weapon, strapped to her back. It was powered by Kyber crystals.

_Interesting_.

She was wearing a black suit, matching gloves and boots, with her hair in her signature three buns. Needless to say, Ren steeled himself on his procession towards her.

“You made a new lightsaber,” Ren found himself commenting.

Rey stopped about two swings away from him. “I see you got a new mask.”

Ren stood still, waiting. Rey took her saberstaff off her back and held it by her side.

“I offered you a chance, Rey. To join me. You still have that chance.” He would have snickered, realizing she was the one hiding herself, wearing gloves and a steely expression; in itself a mask.

“To join the dark side, to rule the galaxy.” She retorted, though Ren did notice that her grip lessened on her saberstaff.

“No, Rey. To bring balance. Dark and light, they have to be together!”

She said nothing, so he continued, desperation in his mind but mechanical in his voice. “I am no Sith; I am more powerful than any Sith. You, you are no Jedi! You bypassed that long ago! We can be the balance, Rey.”

_Why is he asking this?_ She tightened her grip on her saberstaff. _He’s getting into my head._ She shook his words out.

“Rey, forget about everything. Forget about your past, forget about this rebellion, this Order! We can rule the galaxy and no one will be a match to our power!”

“I may not be a Jedi, but you are sounding more and more like a Sith.” She growled. She grabbed her saberstaff with both hands and lit it. The purple was so out of place on the Red planet. The beams were held in her eyes. Dark and deadly.

Without a word, Ren struck. Rey nearly lost her footing as he swung down; the blue of his lightsaber so shocking and bright.

“I gave you a chance,” Ren struck again. Rey quickly parried and regained her footing. They were each outmatched in fighting styles. “I searched the galaxy for you.”

“You searched the galaxy for power!” Rey spun around but Ren jumped over her blade. They were on opposite sides now, Rey with her back to the cave and Ren facing her.

“If you don’t want to join me, why didn’t you kill me back at the throne room?”

Rey quickly caught her breath as Ren seemed to be failing at catching his. She straightened her shoulders. “I had hoped you would find balance.”

Her adversary wound up his lightsaber. “There is balance here, now. The light,” he pointed his lightsaber at her, “and the dark. Don’t you see? The rule of two is not a Sith rule, is it the _Force’s_ rule!”

Rey shook her head.; she couldn’t find words. Her anger, her fears, they mirrored his small flicker of hope and desire. She looked him in the eye, no, the mask. She looked at her gloved hands, and was sure Ren did as well. Slowly, she peeled them off and threw them on the dusty ground.

“We can keep fighting,” Rey held her saberstaff, ready to turn it back on. “Or I can show you that you can find that balance within yourself.”

Ren shook his head and Rey gave a sad smile.

“Your uncle died because he knew there was light within you. Your father died because he wanted you to be saved. Your mother died with hope. These people loved you, Ben!” She shook her head, looking at her saberstaff. “You can still be saved.” She took her lightsaber with her left hand and began walking towards Ren, even walking over her gloves. “There is balance, but not in separate creatures. It is in each of us. Let me help you, let me teach you.”

Ren turned off his lightsaber, holding it in his right hand which trembled. He let his feet take him forward, slowly, one foot in front of the other. Rey’s face was finally showing emotion, nearly the same emotion that she had when they first touched hands. She stopped only three paces away from him, knowing that it was now his choice.

Ren held his hand out but did not advance any more. His hand tightened on his lightsaber for a moment, then hooked it on his belt. He let out a low, guttural breath.

“You hypocrite.” He thrust his hand out and Rey began to rise up in the air. She activated her lightsaber but with his free hand, Ren summoned it and turned it on. Rey kicked at the air, her lungs already screaming. Instead of clawing at the invisible vice gripping her throat, she extended her hand and let power surge through her.

Ren’s concentration was split when the lightning enveloped him. Rey dropped to the ground but regained her feet quickly, turning off her saberstaff before summoning it back to her hand.

Ren had dropped to one knee, head bowed, reliving the life he had with Snoke. Even hidden beneath a mask, his eyes flashed and a snarl escaped his lips. He grabbed his lightsaber and lunged.

Their blades locked. Ren knew that if he had not taken the life force of Tor, he would not have stood his ground against Rey. Hey eyes danced dangerously with the light of the blades. She parried, thew him back, stabbed and swung. Ren just barely blocked and stumbled out of the way. His vision was very limited and Rey quickly saw this and used it against him, jumping and somersaulting behind him. He just blocked with his blade behind his back and spun around. They were back in their beginning positions: Ren with his back to the cave, Rey facing him. Rey lowered her head and wound back her saberstaff when the ground began to shake. Ren, however, didn’t let that deter him. He used that moment of distraction to rush forward. Only by instinct Rey blocked and she Pushed him away.

Rey glanced at her adversary who just regained his footing. Distant thunder shook the ground and she sensed something off, but Ren was the current problem. He wound up his lightsaber, yet it wasn’t as menacing as before without the cackling red blade.

“I told you that lightsaber belonged to me,” he said, pointing at Rey’s saberstaff, finally realizing how she got the color purple, and why the blades were of different intensities. The duo clashed and danced over the plain, dust encircling them.

Rey was being pushed back towards the cave once more. She looked over her shoulder, Pushed Ren backwards, and backflipped onto the side of the mountain. Ren immediately followed. They continued to battle until Rey swept Ren’s feet out from under him. His momentum carried him down, down, down, to the base of the mountain.

The ground shattered as half a dozen animals thundered across the desert plain. They were scattered, leaving no room between the hills. Ren wasn’t moving from his position on the ground. Rey bit her lip, looking from the canyon wall to Ren to the animals. She shook her head and jumped down, just as the first animal converged onto Ren.

The animal was scarred, but not dead after three blows. Rey finally had enough. She shut off her saberstaff and slung it onto her back. She thrust out her hands and swept them across. A second later, an avalanche finally squashed the first creature. The others, which had begun fighting themselves, stopped. Their beady eyes locked onto Rey and the waking Ren.

Rey stepped to the side of her adversary, grabbed her saberstaff, and lit it, falling into stance. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ren push himself up, surely looking from herself to the creatures. He stood and lit his lightsaber just as three of the creatures begun an attack.

Ren chopped, lifted, and threw the first creature, the smallest of the three. Rey found out their legs were very weak, and threw her saberstaff at the second creature’s legs, slicing all four off. She Called the saberstaff back and quickly pivoted. At the same time, her and Ren stabbed the neck of the third creature.

Ren pulled his lightsaber out of the creature and jumped on top of it. Rey was preoccupied by the next two animals advancing. He jumped down with his lightsaber raised.

Rey rolled underneath the animal with her lightsaber pointed upwards, slicing the belly of the beast in half. Ren was still hit square in the chest and thrown into the cave. Rey spun on her knees, momentum finally stopping. Ren was out of sight, although a faint blue light emanated from the mouth of the cave. Somehow there were still animals advancing. She touched the ground, finally letting the raw power of the planet surge through her. For a moment, her iris turned yellow and her veins glowed red as she channeled the power from the planet through herself back into the ground, causing an earthquake. Avalanches began to shake rocks from the highest peaks. She looked over her shoulder. The blue light was still at the mouth of the cave.

Letting go of the ground allowed Rey’s eyes to return to normal. She scanned the terrain and sprinted. She Pushed and jumped, over the canyon wall, onto the same plateau she had first crossed over from. She allowed herself another spring and jump, landing back near her X-Wing. She powered up and got in the air just in time to see another black clad figure sailing over the canyon wall. He landed clumsily but got up quickly, headed straight for his own ship. Rey’s hand rested on the blast controllers, and she fired. The blue blade deflected them deftly. She had a choice, either try to shoot him and get shot down or fly away, knowing they would meet again. She chose the latter and exited the planet’s atmosphere.

Ren watched her ship leave the atmosphere. He ran towards his ship and in seconds got it into the air right after her. He began firing as soon as they left the gravity of the planet. She made evasive maneuvers and jumped to hyperspace. He followed.

Rey exited hyperspace in the middle of nowhere but she was not alone. Ren’s ship appeared and fired once more. She flipped her ship over Ren’s…and the controls went dead.

Ren saw her flip over his ship and went to turn his own ship around…and the controls went dead.

Both furiously pressed buttons until they turned back on. Their hands went for blasting controls until they looked at what unfolded, literally, before them. Nearly a Holocron, but the size of a space station or even a small moon. It opened up like a great eldritch monster. Ren and Rey put their thrusters in full reverse with no avail. White light blinded each of them even though they threw their hands in front of their eyes.

The portal shut. Not even the stars could tell where they would end up.


	23. Needed Set up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Rose struggle to gain footing on Coruscant, but find some slightly unexpected allies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, sorry for not updating so regularly. This chapter may seem out of place but I promise it'll tie in. Also, Kudos to Colin T's script of Duel of the Fates, which has inspired a lot of the themes here!

Finn and Rose ran down the streets. Once they reached a more populated area, they ducked into an open doorway. The room was small and dark, with only one window on the far side. Rose held the small lightsaber in her hand but kept it deactivated, shutting the front door.

Finn’s shoulders began to heave and he sank to the ground, back against the wall. His lightsaber clattered from his hand.

“I can’t believe it,” he whispered.

Rose shifted to the window. The light was still frozen. No, it was beginning to recede. “Oh no.”

Finn barely looked up. He closed his eyes, fighting the feeling in his gut, fighting the truth that squeezed out with a tear: Ren was winning.

“Finn, stay with me. We have to find a way out of here.” Rose turned away from the window and knelt next to her friend, who still struggled to even out his breathing. “Hey, I know you are panicking. Breathe, follow my voice, follow my breaths.” She breathed deep, held, then released. Finn slowly got his heart rate back to acceptable levels, and his eyes finally focused on Rose. “Good, glad to have you back.”

In silent protest, he shook his head but took Rose’s hand once she had stood up.

“We have to find a way out of here. There are no more tunnels, and the streets are filled with Troops.”

Finn brushed aside the curtain. A full battalion marched down the main road. He released the curtain and stepped back, his foot tapping away. “Alright. We need to get through this level and back up. I think Chewie’s above us, if he hasn’t been caught already.” He looked around the small apartment. He sidestepped and grabbed a shaw off the couch, handing it to Rose. “Here, put his over your head. And put that lightsaber away!”

She obliged, wrapping her head up and stuffing the lightsaber back into her bag. “Now, what about you? You’re most wanted, remember?”

“True. Ummm.” He looked around. There was another doorway. He stepped through it, seeing a bedroom. On one of the walls was a hat rack. Score. He came back out with an old miner’s hat.

“You look ridiculous.”

“Yeah, I know. But would you recognize me?” Finn struck a silly pose, needing his nerves to stop jumping.

“If you put that lightsaber away I wouldn’t.” Rose tilted her head towards the object. Finn immediately frowned and clipped it onto his belt, then covered it with his long coat.

“There?”

“There.” Rose smiled for a second, then her face fell serious. “Ok, we’ve gotta move.”

Rose ducked out first, and Finn closed the door from behind. There were only a few people in the streets; Troopers were asking for identification, chasing off street rats, causing the normal confusion and terror. Some couples held hands or held each other as the terror surged forward. Finn slipped his hand into Rose’s.

“Hey! I’m going to need to see your identification.” A trooper, with his blaster held in one hand and the other extended, sounded right behind Finn. He turned around, but the voice was not meant for him.

“Close call,” Rose muttered.

“Yeah, I know.”

They continued walking, dodging more Troopers until they reached the end of the road. They had not been stopped by any troopers. They were nearing a landing platform and something hit Finn in the helmet.

“What?” He resisted the urge to grab his lightsaber. Rose took her hand from his and picked up the object. It was an ordinary rock. She tossed it and immediately, two came sailing through the air and bonked both Rose and Finn on the heads.

“Would you stop that whoever you are? We get it.” Finn picked up the rock this time and noticed it had an inscription: ‘follow me’. He looked at Rose. “Well, we know Troopers would never do this.”

Rose looked at the landing platform so close. “No, we need to go. Chewie is waiting.”

Finn closed his eyes, searching through the Force, and suddenly doubled over. “Nope,” he groaned. “He isn’t.”

Another rock sailed towards them, but dropped short. A Breadcrumb trail. “We have to go.”

Rose looked regretfully at the landing platform until an Order shuttle began descending onto it. “Right. Let’s go.”

“Is that a kid?”

Finn squinted through the alley and saw a small figure scurrying ahead of them. Another rock was dropped. Rose quickened her pace.

“It is!”

They followed the kid through three more streets, to a dead end. “Great, just great.” Rose looked around, though there wasn’t much to see. Some trash, the suspicious scent of blood from multiple lifeforms, and a kid. He turned around and grinned a big bucktooth smile.

“Follow me,” he pushed against the wall slightly to the right and beckoned them inside.

“We’ve already been following you,” Finn muttered. Rose ducked in first, and the kid closed the door once Finn was inside.

“Woah.”

A hall filled with at least a thousand aliens and refugees lay before them. The kid skirted between the pair and turned around in a grandiose fashion.

“We are all here to hide from the Order. We’ve all seen or heard stories about Finn, the Stormtrooper that turned. And Rose, the mechanic and we know you are here to help.”

Finn nodded at the kid and walked past him, wandering through the people. Finally, he sat down near a group of elders. One of the oldest, a woman, human in looks, cupped his face in her hands. “You are scared.”

Rose wandered further, after the boy, who had gone back to a group of children all around his age. She knelt down with them.

“Have any of you heard about the Jedi?”

They all nodded.

“Do you know what happened to them?”

They nodded again. Rose looked in her bag, and then brought out one of the lightsabers. The kids got wide-eyed and Rose chuckled.

“I guess you know what this is.” She ignited it, and everybody around gaped and turned in her direction. “We are from the Rebellion. Finn restarted the ancient beacon in the Jedi temple, but it has been stopped. We don’t know how many people saw it, or how many even knew what it meant. But we know there are people like you all over this galaxy, and they need a reason to fight.” Her words echoed through the complex; nearly everybody was paying attention to her words. “We came here to ignite hope. We know none of you signed up for this. But we need help. We cannot end this Order once and for all by ourselves. But together! If we stand together, we can fight!”

\--------------------------

“Have you brought in the prisoner?” Renee turned away from her perfect view of Coruscant to see two lower-level officers.

“Yes, Chancellor.”

“Good. I would like to interrogate him myself.” She clasped her hands behind her back and strode towards the elevators.

Things had been going perfectly; the Order was growing; the Rebellion was getting squandered with every move she and Maverick made. They toned down the crushing regime to a squashing regime, with the beginning steps of a “volunteer” military, although many still needed to “volunteer” in order to get fed. She was quite pleased with herself, practically being the Supreme Leader without the grandiose title. She did like the title Chancellor, though. It sounded much more official than the overbearing. Ren was going to follow a path of his own destruction, the Rebels were floundering, mostly. At least that’s what she told herself and what the Order told everyone else. It seemed they were about to, now that the mighty Chewbacca was in her torture chamber.

“The mighty Chewbacca, living through three great galactic wars with barely a scratch!” Renee opened a notebook as the door shut behind her.

Chewie let out a defensive growl which Renee scoffed at. “No, I am going to ask the questions here.” She took a data pad off the wall and tossed it in her hand. Chewie eyed it then bared his teeth at her. “Your Rebel friends plot failed. Supreme Leader Ren made sure of that, and he did an absolutely _fantastic_ job.” She smiled, her deep red lipstick practically a mockery. “But why were you sidelined? Why were you left waiting, where they knew you would be caught first? You happen to be a unique creature, now that your people are all but extinct.”

She hit a button on the data pad and Chewie was electrocuted. “Tell me what your Rebel friends plan on doing.”

Even though smoke was floating off his body, Chewie pulled at the restraints with no avail. Renee watched, though a small knot formed in her stomach. After several rounds of torture and a still obstinate Chewbacca, she walked out of the room and pulled out a comm.

“Maverick, join me in my room.”

“Yes, Renee.”

She walked up to her room and sat down in the Chancellor’s chair. Behind her was an amazing view of the city, its night life filled with Troopers squashing any of the crime that was not strictly allowed by some article or another. Her door opened and Maverick, no worse for the wear, stepped in.

“What is it?”

“I am so glad you are not another kiss ass.” Renee shook her head and smiled. Maverick walked up to the desk and sat. He eyed some of the artifacts that Renee had displayed: Han Solo’s blaster, an old Republic Clone Trooper shoulder pad with the depiction of a Twi’lek girl on it, and a lightsaber hilt.

“Yeah, well, I’m glad you haven’t had my head cut off yet.” He tried to play it off but a dark gleam swam through Renee’s eyes. She stood up after taking a holopad in hand.

“Actually, thank you for bringing that up. We captured one of the Resistance’s most _unique_ forces,” she pulled up Chewie’s photo on the holopad. Maverick leaned in and examined the data. “But he is not talking. One thing every regime that has gone against these rebels knows is that they never let a death happen if they can avoid it.”

Maverick’s eyes widened as he nodded. “So a public execution to get him talking; two birds with one stone.”

“Precisely.”

Maverick sat back after giving the holopad back to Renee. “We used to help these guys. We were going to help them on Crait. Why didn’t we?”

Renee side eyed him as she made her way back around her desk and sat. “Because we were smart and played our cards right.”

“We should tell him.”

“No.”

“Yes, we need to tell Chewie. He can get the people he came with and we can finally find out if Kylo Ren is gone or dead. Then we don’t have to play the game anymore!”

“No!” Renee slammed her fist on the desk. “We got to the top. We’ve won. We are not going to give up this power for some half broken Resistance or a whiny Sith wanna be to take it from us!”

“This was never the plan, Renee.” Maverick implored, though his voice was already icy.

“It is now.”

“Yes, _Chancellor._ ” Maverick mocked a bow then strutted out of Renee’s office.

Renee leaned back and tapped her desk, eyeing the lightsaber after finally taking her eyes off the door. She stood up once more and took the glass case off the stand and set it aside. Gingerly, she picked up the lightsaber. The hilt had always mesmerized her because of how ordinary it looked. Yet it held so much power. It reminded her of herself in many ways.

Making sure the emitter was pointed away from her, she ignited the blade. A royal purple bathed the room. A wicked smile played on Renee’s lips as she waved the ancient weapon around. Although she would have never wanted to admit it, Ren had been right: true power was not in any title. It was in your actions, it was within you; if you could hold it or take it, that was true power.

Renee deactivated the lightsaber and placed it back on its display stand, placing the glass back over it as she sat back down, though immediately she bounded up again and began to pace. She held her hand to her chin, lost in thought.

_Maverick has been with me since the beginning._

_But, he still is holding on to our original plan._

_Then tell him what the new plan is._

_He already knows._

_What can you do to make sure he’s on your side, not the Resistances'?_

“What indeed?” Renee stopped pacing and grabbed her holopad and comm. “Mackenzi.”

A gruff voice answered on the comm. “Yes, Chancellor?”

“Announce the execution for tonight. We will have two prisoners, A-113 and ANH-77. Get their holograms out to the public along with the announcement.”

“Yes, Chancellor.” The comm link was terminated and Renee swiveled her chair around to look at the city. “Alright Maverick. We were playing a game. Let’s raise the stakes.”

\-------------------

“Finn!” Rose’s voice startled him out of his meditation.

“I wasn’t able to find him.” He said, looking at his crossed knees.

“You don’t have to. Look.” She walked in front of him and joined him on the ground, holding out a holopad. “It was just announced. He’s going to be executed tonight.”

Finn stood up. They were in one of the few spaces in the underground refugee station that was empty.

“Finn, we have to go get him!”

He squeezed his eyes shut. “No, we can’t.” He looked Rose in the eye and placed his hands on her shoulders. “We can’t because that is exactly what they are planning. They want us to try to break him out. We’d just be playing their game.”

Rose stomped her foot and threw his hands off her shoulders. “We cannot just leave him. If we have to sacrifice ourselves, so be it. We wouldn’t even be here without Chewie.”

“I know, I know.” Finn ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe you can get into their system, cause an alert so that they have to postpone the execution.”

“I’ll do it. I will not let another friend sacrifice themselves.” She pushed past Finn.

“It’s the anniversary of your sister’s death today,” he turned around but she stayed looking at the door, though she did brush her hand over her nose and under her eyes. Finn nodded to himself. “We will get Chewie out of there. I promise.”

Rose nodded and opened the door, leaving Finn by himself. He watched her go over to the kids and squat near them, playing with the handmade dolls and tossing a ball around. He remembered Rey’s request and realized that Rose would be the one he would want as a partner. They even had the lightsabers, and he was sure that they could find more; he had felt so much more at the temple.

“Rey, please, come back to us.” He whispered. He exited the door and joined a group of older aliens, all who had seen the end of the Empire years before. He listened to war stories and knew that most of what the First Order had told him had been a lie. Anger blossomed up inside him and after reviewing a handful of datapads, he rushed over to Rose. “I have a plan. And you’re going to like it.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Alright. We know the Temple has underground tunnels. I go back while you go with one of the kids to the execution. I get to the fuel depot and sabotage it just as they begin the announcements for the execution.”

“And just as you do that, I can get Chewie free from the guards.” Rose looked encouragingly at the datapads. “Do you think we could call in Poe?”

Finn nodded. “With something like this, if I can set the charges now and we have a full plan then, yes, I think that he’ll be able to spare us an attack squad.”

“Well let’s go then!”

They informed the elders of their plan and they agreed. “Bring one of the children, Deke, you go with them.”

A small boy, malnourished, not actually younger than 15, came up.

“He knows the tunnels quite well. He’ll also be able to get in the small spaces better than either of you ever could.”

Deke nodded grimly and immediately turned to leave. Finn and Rose thanked the elders and followed the boy.

“Thank you for helping us,” Finn said as they turned down their fifth alleyway. Deke nodded but stayed silent.

“May I ask who the Order took from you?” Rose suddenly inquired once they reached the Temple’s tunnel. Deke already began to wander down the tunnel.

“My brother.” He turned away and walked quickly down the hall, leaving Finn and Rose slightly behind.

“I’m sorry, Deke.” Finn said.

“I lost my sister,” Rose said quietly. “Today, one year ago. We will avenge them.”

“I know. That’s why I’m helping you guys.”

The trio stayed quiet, even though at times Rose had to pull Finn along as he would want to stop and examine the walls for something Rose couldn’t see. They walked for nearly an hour before they came to the exit. Deke climbed out first, then Rose, then Finn.

They were in a small building, ground floor once more.

“The fuel depot is this way,” Deke pointed to the north where a wall blocked off most of the sky. They made their way towards the wall but slammed against the wall.

“Troopers.” Deke whispered.

Rose looked around the corner. “Over 20. We can’t take them all.”

Deke looked frantically around. “There aren’t any ventilation shafts for me to climb in.”

Rose pulled out a grenade. “Deke, are any buildings here not populated with civilians?”

He nodded. “Yeah, over there, they’re empty.”

Rose handed the grenade to Finn and he chucked it over the building. Three seconds and an inferno engulfed the buildings. Rose peeked around the corner and the Troopers didn’t move.

“Kriff! They aren’t moving!”

“Karabast. Why did I forget? They’re following new protocols. I shouldn’t have forgotten! How many are still there?”

Rose looked again. “Still 20, they must have called in other Troops…” she fizzled out. “They saw me.”

“I thought we were better than this!” Finn unhooked his lightsaber.

“Yeah, me too.”

Troopers came around the corner, blasters at the ready. “Hands up Rebels.”

Finn recognized the voice. “DF-1219?”

The Trooper hesitated and Finn took the chance. He took out his lightsaber and cut the blaster’s barrel off. Rose dragged the partner in and stunned him.

“FN-2187!” DF-1219 looked at the ex trooper. “They’ll have your head for this.”

“Only if you turn us in.”

Immediately, DF-1219 began to thrash about, knocking the lightsaber out of Finn’s hand. He in turn punched the Trooper then tore his helmet off and threw it behind him. He went in for another punch and the Trooper knelt to the ground.

“Thank you,” DF-1219 muttered. “They’ve been listening. Ever since you, they are monitoring all communications. All of them.”

“Well, they know we are here now.” Finn stood up, clipping his lightsaber back on his hip. “Are you going to help us?”

DF-1219 stood up. “Yes.”

“Alright, let’s get you a name. Do you remember your birth name?”

He shook his head.

“Alright. How does Deft sound?”

Deft gave a small smile and nodded before putting his helmet back on. Finn nodded, both knowing what needed to happen. “We caught Rebels on the south entrance. Request number 1520.”

Finn handed his lightsaber to Deke and Rose pocketed as many explosives as she could as Deft pulled out a pair of handcuffs. His partner finally began to wake.

“RT-2107, are you ok?”

RT-2107 nodded, rubbing his head. He looked around but Deke was out of sight and Finn and Rose were handcuffed. “I’m sorry, Sir.”

“These two rebels need to be taken in under request number 1520.”

RT-2107 nodded and took Finn’s arm. “Yes, Sir.”

They were escorted into the Fuel Depot as Deke ran off towards the Central Square, where the execution was scheduled to happen.

“Sorry, RT-2107.” Finn slipped off the handcuffs and locked RT-2107 in a sleeper hold. Once his target was down, Finn found an access port.

“Alright, here it goes.”

\---------

Deft walked Rose through the halls. They weren’t stopped once and soon walked into the fuel depot, Deft saying Rose was a new worker.

“A slave,” she muttered.

The guards let them in, Deft took off the handcuffs, and they immediately set to work.

“Man, I hope Finn got the security droids off line.” He looked around but continued to set charges. They just needed to get out of there before it blew.

\------------

Deke slowed down as he reached the crowded city center. He was small enough to edge past most of the people without getting caught by Trooper or security droids. The stage was empty, and would be for another quarter hour.

“Come on, come on,” he whispered. Clutching the lightsaber underneath his jacket, Deke looked over towards the fuel depot, the tall spires visible over the closest buildings. “Make it.”

\-----------------

Rose finished setting her charges and went to sneak around the last fuel dome and a blaster was pointed in her face.

“You didn’t think we were stupid enough to let you get through with this, did you?” The mechanical voice of a Stormtrooper made her heart jump. She raised her hands, looking like surrender, and grabbed the blaster, pulling it from the Trooper’s hands. She turned the blaster on stun and shot the trooper. A sort of blue haze washed over her and she fell to the floor.

\---------------

Finn jumped back in the broom closet as more troopers passed. There was a vent right above him, but there was no way he could fit. He had no blaster, no lightsaber. Only the power of the Force and a headache. No alarms had gone off, that was a good sign. He cracked open the door. No Troopers. It was too good to be true. Quickly, Finn sprinted towards the room Deft had told him about. He used RT-2107’s PIN and the door opened. Revealing a dozen troops, blasters up.

“Hold your fire.”

Finn looked around, confused, wondering if he had heard that correctly.

“Are you here to help all of us?” The Trooper speaking stepped forward, blaster still aimed.

_What else is there to say?_ Finn nodded. “Yes, I am.” The Troopers were faceless, all blending in together, until the speaker lowered his blaster and took off his helmet and the others followed. A group of men and women, and teenagers.

“Tell us what we can do to help.”

Finn wasn’t about to go on his spiel of how dangerous this was. “Alright. My friend already planted charges all around the fuel pods. We need to evacuate this area of all allies and head away from the execution site. From there we can begin our attack.” He checked hos pocket but remembered he had no comm.

“Has anyone heard from Deft?”

A murmur went through the group and Finn remembered none of them had names.

“Sorry, DF-1219?”

“No, he went silent at the guard change.”

“Karabast.” Finn looked around. “So Rose probably got caught. This is bad,” he whispered under his breath. “Alright, where do you keep your prisoners? Off site? Underground?”

“Someone like Rose would be brought to the new Order facility for torture and then execution.” One of the soldiers from the back said. Finn clenched his fist over and over.

“She’ll take care of herself. For now, let’s get this place evacuated.”

The first Trooper nodded and put his helmet back on, the others following suit. “You heard him, move, move!”

Finn was alone in the room for a moment. He knew Rose had a backup plan, that he was sure of. It was just getting these troops out of here before he had to blow the place. Though now, even with the detonators in his pocket, he couldn't even bring himself to look at them. These were his old friends, and they were just beginning to realize they had a choice that they felt they never had before.

He left the room and amid the rising chaos, escaped. He headed towards the public execution site. “Come on, Poe, come on, Rose.”

\----------------

Rose woke up strapped to a chair and torture instruments floating menacingly around her head.

“I don’t care.”

“You don’t?” A male voice hit her ears and she blinked to have clearer vision.

“Nope. Torture me, threaten to kill me. I won’t give up any information that you want.”

“Well, that’s even better for me. I get to have fun.” The man pressed something on the data pad in his hand and electric shocks fried Rose. She bit her tongue to keep the satisfaction of her pain from reaching her torturer’s ears.

The fifth question and shock came, but so did a newcomer at the door.

“You are wanted in cell block ABY-35.”

“Yes, General. Commander. Maverick.”

Maverick shook his head and grabbed the data pad from the torturer and weighed it in his hand. Rose kept her head up, barely, and practically hissed at him. “Too many titles? Yeah, that’s a problem for me, too. Rebel scum, nerf herder, Rose, Rosie,”

“I’m not here to torture you. The contrary, actually.”

Rose looked Maverick in the eyes and simply raised an eyebrow.

Maverick hit a button on the wall and the restraints fell off Rose’s limbs. She reacted much quicker than most would think, punching Maverick in the gut and swept his feet from under him.

“I just helped you!” He coughed. He used the datapad to shut the door. “You can’t go out there. Go through the ventilation shafts, we still make them too big.”

“Why?” Rose simply asked.

“Renee has gotten power mad.”

“Woah, the Chancellor getting power hungry? Never thought that would happen.”

“I’m not willing to die for her anymore, but I still am for the Resistance. Though I’ll avoid it if I can.”

Rose undid the bolts for the ventilation shafts. “Thanks.”

Maverick gave a slight nod and resealed the shaft behind her and straightened his shirt. “The game is on, Renee.”


	24. The Overlord's Domain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ren crash onto Mortis and continue their journies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own the rights to none of these characters or the place and again, Kudos to Colin T and his Duel of the Fates script because it's brought the inspiration for most of this story!

Rey’s ship controls went offline and a bright light blinded her; the last thing she remembered seeing was the outline of a planet. When she finally awoke, her ship was grounded but all controls were lost. She forced open the cockpit door and climbed out.

Green foliage surrounded her and mountains loomed all around. Rey knelt down, touching the dirt. She felt it, just as the last who’d been there: the Force was strong here. Why? She did not know. But the sky was already beginning to darken and thunder cracked. She had wandered over to the edge of the cliff and peered over; it was a long way down. Turning back, her ship was gone. Immediately, she drew her saberstaff.

“Who’s there?”

But there was no whisper in the wind, no apparition that made itself visible. Rey turned off her saberstaff, feeling silly with nerves getting the best of her. Thunder rumbled and the plants began to wither. There was a cave mouth not far and she ran to it. Inside was a magnificent stone cavern, blue phantoms of light and life rising from the floor. She wandered deeper and deeper, feeling no lifeforms. Near the center of the cave were the remains of a fire, very old but untouched. She knelt down and brought out her saberstaff igniting one end and touched it to the old embers. They ignited and soon the warmth lulled her to sleep, despite every sense being on high alert, knowing that Ren was there with her somewhere.

_Rey._

Her eyes opened in a flash. The fire was still going strong but it cast long shadows.

_Rey_.

“Who’s there?” She knew it wasn’t Ren, but there was something that sounded familiar. She grabbed her saberstaff and it clicked. “I know your voice,” she stood up, “through the Kyber Crystal.”

“Ah, yes. That was ingenious. Even I never thought of that,” the voice took form, the form of a sandy haired man with blue eyes and a scar over his right cheek and eyebrow.

Rey raised her saberstaff but still didn’t ignite it. “You’re a Skywalker.”

The figure nodded and gave a half smile, extending his hand, a gloved hand. Immediately, he noticed that Rey had aversion to it. He stepped back and removed the glove. “I only wear it because the circuits would need to be cleaned way too much for my liking otherwise.” He put his glove back on and Rey untensed, more curious now. But the man extended his hand again. “May I see your lightsaber?”

Rey hesitated but gave it to him and he ignited the blades, examining each side, then the hilt. He deactivated it and handed it back. “Very interesting.”

“That’s all you have to say?” Rey hooked the saberstaff on her side and sat down.

“No, no,” the man sat down. “I am Anakin Skywalker, and you are?”

“I’m Rey.” She simply said. Anakin raised an eyebrow.

“Just Rey?”

“Does everyone have to have a surname? I am who I am. I don’t need to know my past to know that.” She stared Anakin down and he nodded, standing back up. He didn’t say anything, so Rey continued. “What is this place?”

Anakin sighed. “This is Mortis, a conduit through which the entire Force flows. It was once ruled by the Father, the Daughter, and the Son. Force Wielders, they called themselves. The physical embodiments of the Force. The Father was dying, so he brought me here.” He stopped pacing and looked deep into the dying fire. “I failed.”

“Failed?”

“Yes. They said I was the Chosen One and if I had stayed, there would have been balance.”

“So the Son….”

“The alignment of the Darkside. And the Daughter,”

“The Light,” Rey murmured. It seemed perfect, now that she had heard the story. But she didn’t want to believe it, things hadn’t gone that way. _I use the dark, I can’t be the Light. Maybe I’m thinking this all wrong._ “Why am I here?”

“If there is not balance here, the Force will bring balance to the galaxy through other means.”

Rey slowly nodded. “So I’m that balance?”

“If you chose to be. And by your lightsaber, it appears you have.”

“But, it’s perfect. Kylo, the Son. You, the Father. And me, the…the Daughter.”

Anakin walked towards the fire. “There is a Monastery, once the storm has passed, go there.” He stepped into the flames, the blue hue that had surrounded him turned white and his form disappeared.

Rey had been expecting form him to say more, but she took what she got, though it took a while to realize that he couldn’t die because he was already dead and the whole ‘stepping into the fire’ thing was definitely for the drama. She let the fire burn itself out, and only then did the thunder stop rattling the cave.

Light streamed in and the foliage outside was renewed. Her ship was still gone, but as Rey climbed higher into the mountains, once over the lowest clouds she saw the spire at the top of the monastery.

As she walked, phantoms passed by. She heard voices, so many more than when she received them on Ach-Too. She let her hands run over the mountainsides, feeling the light and dark. Finally, she reached a natural bridge which joined the next mountain over the deepest ravine she’d seen yet. From above, the sun shone out but from beneath, darkness drew her in. Though it felt stupid, Rey reached the middle of the bridge and sat. She strapped her saberstaff to her back and began to meditate.

“What is here?” Such a broad question, but that was what first came to mind.

“The past. This was not supposed to be a place of death, yet that is all that it will see forevermore.” A whisper came from the North, from past the monastery.

“Why am I here?”

The voice that replied was not the same as before. It was darker, more menacing. Colder, literally, as a gust came from the ravine below. “Because you desire something, just as he does.”

Rey opened her eyes and stared down the monastery. “I once desired my parents. Then I desired a connection, any connection. I got that, with Finn. I don’t desire…” closing her eyes again, she looked down, “I do. I desire revenge. Vengeance. I want this war to be over.” She clenched her fists and she could have swored that the void in the ravine felt happy because of it.

“This war? With the boy that calls himself Ren? Or the one inside you?”

The voice from the void disappeared, taken over by a more familiar one, though she still did not know the name to whom it belonged. “You fear loss.”

There was no denying it. “Yes,” Rey replied.

“You know that you are not the perfect Jedi. But you know that if you stay here, there will be no more loss, because there is no chance of it.”

“Yes.”

The voice was quiet for a moment. “You will be met with a challenge at the Monastery. Afterwards, you will be given a choice. When the time comes, you will make the correct one.”

The female voice left Rey, as did all the other voices. Once more, she was alone. She opened her eyes and looked out. The monastery had no movement around it. Nothing that the voices said was encouraging. But as Rey continued to sit, she felt the Force flow through her like never before. She pushed herself up, secured her saberstaff, and leaped off the edge of the bridge.

She sailed through the air until landing and rolling twice, stopping at the largest doors Rey had ever seen. They were sealed shut, not budging one but in the rising wind. She looked around for a button or mechanism until she pressed her hand to the stone. She bowed her head and let the Force flow through her. One hand was not enough. She stepped back, readjusted, and placed one hand on either door. She breathed in. And out.

_Her parent’s ship flying away._

_Finn running up to her on Starkiller base, his smile._

_Ren’s face as she shut the door on him._

_The little girl that lit up when she returned the lost ball from that alley._

_Finn’s finished lightsaber falling into his hand and when he ignited it._

_The civilians that were starving and trying to fight back, they were whipped or shot at._

_When Poe and Rose laughed together at the lunch table one day._

_When Finn, Rose, and Poe mourned the loss of yet another squad leader._

The doors unlocked. Rey pushed them open.

Her breath hitched as the doors opened and she walked inside the cathedral like room. She craned her neck to look at the vaulted ceiling. She snapped her neck as the doors slammed behind her.

Walking deeper into the room, she passed stone rings nearly 12 feet off the ground, held up as if they were shrines by grey stone blocks. She walked past nearly two dozen, approaching a long-forgotten throne. She stepped towards one of the last rings and touched one of the control panels that manifested itself once she thought about looking into the ring, which descended. She peered into the ring, into the portal.

A black abyss, with lines, pathways, all across the expansion. She heard voices but they disappeared back into the void. She took her head out of the ring; it was not her place, not yet. But that hollow feeling she felt looking at the abyss planted itself into her mind. She turned away, knowing the time would come. The ring ascended again as she looked at the centerpiece of the room. To either side were the statues that had initially drawn her forward, depicting winged beasts. She blinked several times, making sure they weren’t moving.

She ran her fingers over the arm of the throne as she walked towards the stained glass wall that encompassed the entire back wall. Below was an arena where a star system was etched into the stone, guarded by a circle of seats seemingly meant for giants. To the right, a stairwell led to the arena. Something down there called to her, but not in a whisper. It was an urging, there was an itch that spread through her body. Rey snapped her head to the left, then behind her, then back at the stairwell. There were no voices urging her to stay away, so she took the stairs down after taking her saberstaff in hand.

The sun was just reaching midday. For a moment, once reaching past the shadows, Rey let herself take in the sun’s rays. There was something inherently good that went along with the light.

“I was told I’d find power here,” a mechanical voice spoke.

\---------------

Ren’s stomach lurched as his ship went into a free fall. The controls were offline and blinding light shorted his mask’s sensors. When he could see again, his ship was on a low lying plain with rumbling clouds already overcoming the furthest mountains behind him. Something about the way lightning struck put his hair on end and Ren abandoned ship after figuring that it would not fly anywhere any time soon. He headed forward, towards a field of boulders.

As he got closer, it became clear that the boulders were not just rocks; they were tombs. Instinctively, Ren drew his Lightsaber. The blue blade cast deeper shadows as he continued into the graveyard. The storm, however, was not relenting to his slow pace and soon lightning struck at his feet. There were no open caves or graves, but the closest was sealed by a single stone. Without effort, he moved it and then replaced the rock at the entrance, the only light emitting from his lightsaber. Ren walked around the small space, curious by the carvings, leaning closer and letting his fingers barely touch the surface. It was the floor, though, that caught his attention most. Standing towards the front of the grave, Ren stretched out his hand and lifted the sealed slab.

A goddess laid there. A dead one. Her skin was translucent, hugging close and dry to her bones. Her hands clutched an ancient dagger yet her face was at peace. Ren squatted down, bringing the lightsaber closer for a better look. She used to have a soul. A powerful one, but one of light. Ren’s body revolted at the thought of pure light anymore. He stepped back and slammed the tombstone back over the body. Outside the storm was still raging so he settled down in the back corner, lightsaber burning on the floor in front of him. Despite himself, Ren’s eyes shut and he fell asleep.

_Ren._

He bolted up, grabbing the humming lightsaber. His own breathing was quicker than the others…similar sound. Immediately, he knew who it was and lowered the saber.

“Darth Vader,” he breathed out.

Vader materialized opposite the grave, lightsaber in hand but unlit. “Grandson,” he stated. “You have failed.”

“I have not, old man,” Ren snapped back. “I have grown more powerful than you or the emperor ever were!”

Vader ignited his lightsaber, crimson and blue meeting perfectly over the grave. Ren wound up his saber and struck first. He used his build and strength and a flurry of strikes in his attack, but Vader didn’t budge. Every blow Ren gave was deflected. Vader moved one foot forward, slowly, mechanically, driving Ren into the back corner once more. Ren finally let himself drop to the floor and swept Vader’s legs out, causing the cyborg to collapse onto the ground.

“I am better than you!” Ren yelled once he somersaulted over the just rising Vader, wishing so desperately that he had his own voice back, not this mechanical mirror. His adversary stood up, barely shaking his head.

“No, Ren,” he said, taking a breath. “You have nothing left to hate or love except for yourself. You killed them all. You are not better than me. You want to be me.”

Ren lunged and froze. His throat began to close. He clawed at the invisible hand, bracing himself for lightning to envelop him but it never came. Vader stepped forward, shutting off Ren’s lightsaber and snatching it from the frozen hand while keeping his grandson suspended in the air.

“This place has power in it. The entire planet is a meeting point of the Force. I was a fool not to stay here. I would have become the most powerful being in the galaxy.” Vader circled Ren. He clipped the silver lightsaber on his belt, red light as the only illumination now. He waved his free hand over the grave, once more removing the stone, and the ancient sword floated into his hand. Ren was turned to watch as Vader inspected the blade. “Anakin Skywalker saw this blade and he did not wield it,” he pointed the blade at Ren’s heart. But Ren did not care. He only focused on his own lightsaber. Vader quieted, his breathing almost a lullaby compared to Ren’s. They matched masks and Ren broke out of the frozen body hold, reaching for his lightsaber. Just as he ignited it, Vader swung the Force Wielder’s sword, chopping Ren’s right hand off.

Ren fell to the floor, his helmet turning his scream into a demonic screech.

Vader stood, towering over his grandson. “Do you want to be me now?”

Ren opened his good hand and grabbed his lightsaber with it. He swung up and chopped off Vader’s hand left hand, causing the Wielder’s sword to clatter back into the grave. A howl of pain escaped Vader’s helmet but only for a second as his body disappeared, leaving behind his bionic hand with lightsaber rolling out of the leather clad palm and Ren’s old lightsaber clattering to the floor.

Ren fell to the floor, his eyes landing on the bionic hand. He kept his good hand on the floor, knowing that the Force flowing through the planet was the only thing keeping him awake. He dragged himself to the bionic arm. Though it was old tech, even just a minute diagnostic let Ren know it would work. He picked it up then held to the stump of his right hand.

The electronics and metal injected themselves into his skin. The metal grafted through searing pain, the electronics embedded themselves into his muscles, reaching to the electronic pack that powered his helmet. He screamed until the pain finally numbed.

He tested his new hand. He took off the glove and threw it into the girl’s grave. As he did so, he saw the Wielder’s blade, though it wasn’t so much of a sword anymore as just a hilt. He picked it up and immediately the blade formed. He tossed it into his bionic hand and it disappeared.

“Interesting.” He attached it to his belt. He knelt down and picked up his old lightsaber with his flesh hand and with the bionic hand grabbed Vader’s lightsaber. He ignited both. “I will succeed where you failed, Vader.”

Ren opened the Tomb’s entrance after sealing off the goddesses’ grave. The storm had passed and the land before him was once more green. Looking both ways, he deactivated the lightsabers, clipping both onto his belt.

He walked a long way before needing to sit. There was no food, no water. But Ren barely noticed that. He only yearned for power. He knew there as power. He knew it; he felt it. But where, he did not know.

“I need to know!” He yelled, his voice echoing, more and more distorted with every rock it passed. He sat back down, clenching his fists.

Something was behind him. His hand gravitated towards his sabers as he turned, but as he looked up there was no need…yet.

A monastery loomed above Ren. _Man, this planet is weird._ Nevertheless, he marched up the stairs to face closed doors. He tried Pushing them, no avail. Tried to use his lightsabers to cut through them, they were deactivated when they touched the stone surface. He put his lightsabers away and finally extended his hand, not to Force push, but to reach into the door. He projected his desires, the images that raced through his mind.

_Chewie lifting him into the air._

_Han showing him how to hold a blaster._

_Han and Leia fighting._

_His first night at Luke’s._

_Snoke christening him._

_The lightsaber…his lightsaber through Han’s body._

_Rey._

The doors unlocked. Ren pushed them open. 

Portals lined the hall to the throne. He bypassed them all and marched straight to the throne. It was so simple compared to the intricate art of the stained glass wall behind it. Ren let his bionic hand run over the statue on the right of the throne as he inspected the art. It was truly beautiful. Then, he peered through it.

Rey walked towards the center of the arena. Ren looked to the left and to the right, spotted the stairwell, and took it down to the arena’s level. He watched for a moment more, then drew his saber, keeping Vader’s hidden.

“I was told I’d find power here.”


	25. Posthumous Revenge (No need of the Force, either)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Someone was actually pretty smart and decided to make sure stopping the First Order would be legitimately hard in the long run. Street fights, Finn using Rey's teachings, and Rose trying to clean up after a dead woman. Fun

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, Kudos to Colin T and I don't own any of the non original characters or the Force or anything Disney could say is "theirs".   
> Sorry guys, I was running out of ideas for this chapter and well here you go.

Rose crawled through the dusty vents. There were times she couldn’t make it through and had to turn around but finally she found an open terminal where droids worked. There were several terminals but only two that looked important. Thing was, as she patted down her pockets, she didn’t have any tools.

A beeping and the sound of wheels approaching bounced off the metal shaft. Rose backtracked into a side vent and waited. A messenger droid popped around the corner inserted it's arm and uploaded whatever information it was supposed to, and turned to leave but Rose pounced, punching out the eye and switching the droid off with its manual override.

“Sorry, buddy,” she said, pulling off its arm. She went to work immediately, manually rotating the arm, hoping the information she wanted would come up on the screen beside the port. Finally, it lit up with the schematics of the base. “Ah ha!” She glanced at them, knowing she needed an Officer’s room. “Alright, Rose. What do you have that can get you to an Officer’s room…” She muttered. A few more twists of the arm and an image popped up on the screen. “Perfect.”

She disengaged the arm and stuffed it in her pocket. She crawled through many more shafts, trying to make as little noise as possible. Finally, she reached the last data port she wanted. A few turns and the ray-shields were down. With a swift kick and jump, she was in the Chancellor’s office.

Finn hid his face as he pushed through the crowd. The Chancellor in all her majesty stepped out onto the stage. Behind her, Chewie and another prisoner, a Bothan, were escorted in chains onto the stage. Finn watched in stifled horror and hate.

“Hey, kid,” he appeared behind Deke, placing his hand on the kid’s shoulder. Deke jumped, but looked straightforward.

“You made it,” he said.

Finn smiled grimly. “Yeah, and we should have a distraction here in about a minute.”

Deke nodded, slipping Finn his lightsaber. They both watched the Chancellor begin her speech.

Rose knew she would be spotted in an instant but she began her crazy idea. She sat behind the Chancellor’s desk and opened up a hologram.

“This is Prism 2 calling for the General. I repeat, this is Prism 2 calling for the General.”

There was some silence until the General popped up. A smug looking Poe looked back at Rose.

“This is the General. Did you get a face lift, Chancellor? You are looking mighty fine.” He cracked a smile and so did Rose.

“There is about to be a diversion. But looking through her data,” she said, looking at a datapad, “there’s a full on blockade above Coruscant. You’ll need clearance codes. I think I could send you some but they’ll be encrypted for any ship but an Order one.”

Poe smirked. “We won’t be needing clearance codes,” he gave a devilish grin. “Is there a diversion as promised?”

Rose looked out behind her. Sure enough, three seconds passed and the Fuel Depot blew up. “Yes there is. Why--” At once, sparks erupted out of the door frame. “Alright. My time’s up. You better get here.”

“Will do.” Poe signed off and Rose grabbed the lightsaber and blaster from Renee’s desk, holding one in each hand. She put the blaster on stun, though, just in case it was a possible friendly. If not, the lightsaber would also work. She braced for the door to open.

“No one has tried what you are about to do since they put ray shields up,” Deke whispered after handing Finn his lightsaber.

“Really? Karabast.”

“I can take out one of the generators.”

Finn looked at Chewie and the Rebel Bothan, nodding to himself. “Do it. I’ll get Chewie and the other.”

Deke nodded, for once not needing to explain how he’s not too young to help. He ran through the crowd to the base of the stage, looking like a hopeful child wanting to see blood. Yet slowly, he let the lightsaber Rose had given him down his sleeve and into his hand. He looked back at Finn and nodded. In a flash, he swiped at the generator’s base and it crumbled to the ground. He jumped out of the way and scurried behind the stage, grinning ear to ear holding the lightsaber.

As Finn ran onto the stage and freed Chewie and the Bothan’s chains, Troopers and prison guards with threatening electrical staves held them all at weapon point. The Chancellor commanded the Troopers to fire and began backing away herself with personal guards and blaster in hand.

Finn blocked the first shots, returning them either to or past their owners. He advanced but a shot whizzing past his head, exploding the stage and guards behind him, made him change his focus.

Deke looked back and Deft led an army of Troopers and painted AT-ATs and AT-STs down the street.

As they advanced, the sight of a battle above filled the sky. Everyone looked up as an old Republic Venator class Destroyer jumped from Hyperspace.

“Great job, Poe,” Finn was able to say before his reflexes took over, blocking yet another blast, but this one from the Chancellor herself. “How are you not dead?” He asked, exasperated.

She pounded a fist against her uniform, armor disguised as a regular outfit, as she climbed out of the rubble and bodies.

Finn nodded and laughed under his breath. “You finally got smart.” He readied his lightsaber. “Bring it on.”

She shot at him over and over, but he blocked and advanced. Yet, he swung his blade and it made contact with the armor…without damaging it. He must have looked shocked because Renee smiled.

“We finally did learn. Those Praetorian guards Snoke had were pretty good with their choice of protection. Thought I’d take a page from their book.”

Finn re adjusted the grip on his lightsaber. “Well. Rey told me one thing. Always go for the head.”

“Finally. A challenge.”

Finn struck again.

Rose readied her weapons. The door fell inwards and she fired. Four Stormtroopers barged in and Rose blocked with the lightsaber and fired with the blaster. In a moment she was surrounded by unconscious troops. She deactivated the lightsaber and stepped into the suspiciously empty hall.

A blast rocked the building. Rose didn’t think, she just ran down the halls towards the elevator and stunned anyone in her way. She exited to find chaos.

Finn just sliced the end of Renee’s blaster off when a shot rang in his ear. He turned around for a split second, saw a blond man aiming his blaster at Renee and immediately looked back at his adversary, who crumpled to the ground in a heap. Not knowing if it was a friendy, Finn put his saber in a defensive position. The man looked familiar but he kept ducking with passing blaster fire. Finn took his chances and lowered his weapon, grabbing the man by the jacket and pulling him into the less damaged wings of the stage. The man’s eyes were not fearful but dilated by adrenaline.

“Finn?” The blond raised an eyebrow.

“Maverick?”

“I’m sorry. About everything. But I am on your side now--still.” He held his blaster in a nonthreatening position.

Finn nodded, grabbed Maverick by the collar and shoved him back out into the fight. “Prove it. I’m right behind you.”

Maverick nodded and went straight to work. Finn deflected a bolt from one of the AT-ATs and shook his head before rushing towards the machine.

Rose looked around and saw a lightsaber somewhere in the midst. Finn just appeared with a slightly familiar face for a second and then both of them ran off. Rose switched her blaster from stun to normal and activated the lightsaber once more. She fought her way towards Deke.

Deke only kept the lightsaber activated for when someone got too close. He got singed a few times by blaster bolts so he picked up a dead trooper’s weapon and used that. He was still a terrible shot so he tried to find some high ground.

Scaling the side of a high rise was not easy, but it was simple. He finally made it up to a balcony. Inside there were people watching a holoscreen. Momentarily forgetting about the battle below, he crept closer to the window.

“We advise all families and individuals to secure themselves in their homes or other Order Sanctioned structures as we prepare to execute protocol 12-19.”

Renee popped off the holoscreen and the regular news came up. Deke scrambled back over the ledge and scanned for Rose or Finn. Finn was taking on the metal machines and Rose was about to run headlong into an alley chasing some troopers. Deke jumped and closed his eyes, only a second before hitting the ground, pushed, although his hands didn’t actually touch anything.

“Cool,” he muttered as an afterthought, already sprinting through the mob and bodies. “Rose!”

She didn’t hear him. He sliced through the legs of some Trooper and kept running. The alley was a turn away when something white hot hit the back of his calf. Deke fell down face first. He heard the troopers coming up. He pushed the pain out of his mind and waited…waited. He squirmed around and let out a rapid fire burst. The two that didn’t survive he swung his lightsaber in an arc and cut off their arms. Deke scrambled up and into the alley, where Rose was surrounded by bodies.

“The troopers without helmets are our friends.” She said, turning and seeing the boy.

Even though Deke was on the brink of collapse, he hobbled over to her. “The Chancellor activated protocol 12-19.” Rose shrugged and he sighed. “She’s going to launch the inner city.”

“What?” Rose shrieked as she pulled Deke with her behind a generator. “How? When? Nevermind. It can always be stopped.” Deke stared at her as she talked to herself. “And the codes would be ones only she knew and Maverick killed her. Great. Maybe there’s an override key….” She looked at Deke. “Hand me my bag, will you?” He nodded and handed it to her, although he had really forgotten he had it. “Alright. There‘s a man, blond, Commander’s uniform. We need to get him and bring him back up into the Chancellor’s office. We might actually be able to stop this.”

Deke nodded and ran out of the alley. The fighting was beginning to die down, or at the very least spread out. The turncoat troops were outnumbering the others and Finn had destroyed or commandeered, with the help of Deft and his gang, three of the four walkers.

Rose ran the opposite way of Deke, towards Chewie. She took out one of the Troopers that he didn’t see and then ran into a side street that was suspiciously empty. That’s when the noise of metal grinding and armor clanking reached her ears. She froze in the middle of the street when the first bomb landed a building away from her. Flown back, she didn’t let her head clear enough to see the Command Troopers and Mandalorian hunters coming with their bomb and no mercy. She ran back towards the square and yelled, pointing to where the new reinforcements were coming. They wouldn’t make it. But they could put up a fight.

Deft and Finn finished their quick paintjob of the walkers and posted one at each corner of the square. Deke hauled Maverick away from the fight and Rose ran to meet them as both Tie fighters and X-wings descended from the sky.

“We need to stop the ascension of the inner city,” Rose said, catching up to Maverick and Deke. “Do you know how?”

“I know how. But we won’t like it.”

“We don’t have much choice. What do we need to do?”

“We need Renee’s body with us.”

Deke looked at Rose, who sighed. “Let’s get it done then.”

As Deke and Maverick hauled Renee’s body back to the Chancellor’s headquarters building, Rose found a com and radioed Poe once more. “The Inner city is about to take flight.”

“And I thought this day couldn’t get any better,” he replied. “Can you stop it?”

“Yes…” Rose hesitated. “How are your forces holding up?”

“You guys put a pretty sizable dent in the ground forces, but we are outnumbered up here.”

“Our beacon didn’t work,” she muttered. There was silence for about a minute.

“Actually…”

Rose could almost hear the smile.

“Look up.”

Hundreds of cruisers and thousands of fighters and freighters appeared in the sky. Rose lit up as Poe shouted over the comm, “yes, yes, yes!”. Around the battlefield the turncoat troops, civilians, and Resistance fighters all took up a cry. The sky was filled with overwhelming reinforcements. For Poe is was amazing and he could revel in the moment. On the ground, however, a bomb going off in the center of the square tore eyes off the spectacle and back onto the impending doom.

Finn readied his troops and Rose quickened her pace as her, Deke, and Maverick reached the base of the building.

“Ladies first,” Maverick said, standing aside. Rose nodded, bringing out her lightsaber. She stopped, though, holding out her hand.

“Your blaster please.”

Without hesitation, he handed it over to her. She didn’t trust him, but she couldn’t risk the lives of everyone on the planet for herself. She made her way up, though the building was surprisingly empty of non essential personnel.

The door opened with Renee’s identification tube. Rose took out the two guards that were stationed in there after her first infiltration and Maverick put Renee in her chair.

“Alright. Let’s get to work.”

“Right. This better be the last war I have to fight in,” Finn muttered as the Command Troopers marched through the streets, effectively boxing the square in from all sides. Overhead, Mandalorians flew, their exotic and deadly weapons ready with itchy trigger fingers.

Silence enveloped the area.

“Surrender to the First Order and your deaths will be quick,” a masked Mandalorian said. Even with the mask, Finn knew he immediately distrusted his lightsaber, all the Mandalorians did. He Felt the anger and the desire to charge.

“We will no longer be slaves!” A random unmasked Trooper shouted, followed by a war cry. He shot at a Mandalorian, who easily dodged the shot. But that was only the beginning. Hellfire rained down on the square.

“Deft!” Finn shouted. “Do you think you can call in air support?”

Deft nodded and found cover. Finn hoped that it would work; they were losing men left and right. The civilians that fought back were killed instantly. And Finn Felt all the death and fright. It was all over the planet, and it was getting worse. He let that energy flow through him; he Pushed back, knocking over a road full of Troopers and ground assault vehicles. He Picked up and threw one of the bombs that was sent over and Threw it back to the bomber, where it exploded. Several more times he did that, as Deft and his men surrounded him, shooting anything that was not with them. Finn felt his shoulder get hit but pain did not reach his brain. He allowed the fear and the anger and the hatred that was cascading through the planet like waves to enhance his strength. He tore up the ground, tossed buildings on top of, behind, and in front of the enemy, though while he did that he also blocked himself and his people inside what was becoming a bloodbath square.

“Air support is arriving,” Deft yelled.

“Good!” Finn ducked as he just missed deflecting a bolt of blaster fire.

Half a squadron flew overhead. One ship went down by the Mandalorians, but most were able to take out any ground assault weapons left as well as any Walkers that has missed Finn’s barrage.

The ground began to shake and Deft’s eyes grew wide. “12-19.”

“Rose, why haven’t you stopped this?” Finn’s voice broke over a comm. She reached for the comm link.

“Give us one more minute!” She nearly threw the comm link down on the table. Deke was keeping an eye on the door and Rose turned to Maverick. “Come on, the Inner city is beginning the prep sequence.”

“Trust me, I know. She was smart. For once,” he mumbled, fiddling with the holodesk. “Alright, facial scans are done. Annnnnd,” he typed in a number, 77-19, “we are done.”

The ground stopped shaking.

“Why was it that quick?” Rose stood straight up and looked around like a dog with a scent. She went to eh window to see the fighting begin to die down substantially. She turned on the lightsaber and pointed it at Maverick’s chest. “What Protocol did you just input?”

“77-19! It reversed 12-19!” He stammered, frantically looking at the numbers. “Unless,” he looked at Renee with her dead eyes and burned forehead. “She added a subprotocol that if it was reversed 99-99 would come into effect.”

“And?”

“The planet is going to blow up entirely.”

“Finn! Evacuate. Get as many civilians on ships and get out of here. We have…I don’t know how long but not long enough. Get them on ships and jump to Hyperspace. Now!” She changed the channel so he couldn’t even try to argue or ask questions. Through the window, she saw him begin to direct. Deft called in his reinforcements and rescue ships began to descend.

“Poe! Send as many ships as you can. We need to evacuate the city.”

“The city that takes up the entire planet?” He scoffed and Rose nearly threw the comm if he hadn’t immediately spoken after. “It’s a good thing someone’s getting something…done…They’re all leaving. Why are they leaving? Rose….”

“The planet is going to blow up. Send evacuation ships and leave the system, follow the Order ships.” She got off the comm the turned to Maverick. “This is your mess.” She left his side and looked down at Deke, though only slightly. “I need you to get to your people. A ship will find you and we will get you out of here.”

Although he wanted to protest, Deke nodded. “Can I keep this?” he showed the lightsaber.

“Yes, of course.” Rose smiled. “Now go.”


	26. Not All Wounds Can Be Healed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Rey battle  
> Finn and Rose quickly finish their fight on Coruscant  
> Ren makes a choice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I have no rights to these characters.  
> I have taken dialogue from Season 3 "the Mortis Arc" in The Clone Wars as well as some script and interaction from the Duel of the Fates script by Colin T.  
> Also ***SPOILER*** 
> 
> Kylo/Ben's ending is not a full redemption arc cause no matter how you spin it he does not deserve one, at the end he's doing the right thing for once. It does not erase the rest of his frankly terrible life choices.

“I didn’t think it would be you,” Ren continued.

“I’d hoped I wouldn’t find you.” Rey readied her saberstaff, giving Ren a wide berth. His mask was unmoving and unnerving, although Rey was getting used to it. “Following the Skywalker legacy…” Her voice fizzled out, for once stepping closer to Ren. “That’s Anakin’s hand. How did you get it?”

“Anakin…Darth Vader…They were weak. He was weak.”

Rey nodded in silence and Ren stepped closer, igniting his lightsaber in step. She backed up slowly, reaching the center of the arena and began to side step, causing Ren and her to dance.

“He was the chosen one.”

“He had his chance and he failed!” Ren’s mechanical voice reverberated around the stone arena, escaping into the valley below. “I will take the power that this planet has to offer and unleash it on the galaxy!” He pointed his lightsaber at Rey. “And not even you will be able to stop me.”

Rey looked around the cavernous arena. There was something in the stars that were etched into the stone that made her kneel down before attacking. Ren scoffed yet did not attack as Rey closed her eyes, touching the tips of her fingers to the ground, brushing them against the painted features.

_Let them go; I will not play your games._

_Oh, but I think you will. You must now release the guilt and free yourself by choosing!_

_Anakin, save Ahsoka! The Planet IS the Force; use it!_

_You will let them go._

Rey glanced up to Ren staring her down. She stood and ignited her saberstaff. “There will be balance.”

Ren raised his saber and they began with a clash.

Rey blocked and sliced up with the bottom end of her saberstaff, causing Ren to stumble backwards. She didn’t have time to rest before her adversary ran back in a frighteningly quick series of blows and strikes that even she had a hard time deflecting with just blades. She Pushed him back, allowing the voices in her head to guide her. He shook it off, but did not rush forward so quickly. They were evenly matched, not the light and dark but two shadows. They Pushed at the same time and they both flew into opposite walls of the arena.

“I had, at one point, said I would choose my own path,” Ren began, stalking around the outer rim. “My grandfather had appeared to me in a dream. But he appeared to you as well.” If his voice had not been mechanicalized, it might have sounded like he was awed. “Why would he talk to you?”

Rey didn’t answer because she didn’t have one. She felt the planet beneath her feet begin to churn as one side was draped in darkness and the other was lighter still. She attacked Ren once more, never once realizing she was moving faster than humanly possible. Ren backflipped to get a reprieve.

“I can’t use the power of this planet to heal myself. It doesn’t have a soul. But you do.”

Rey clenched her jaw, terrified at what he was saying.

_You have the power and the will do to what we could not,_ a male voice echoed around her head.

Rey gave a cry and attacked Ren once more. She felt the energy of the planet strengthening her. She could have picked him up and thrown him over the edge of the arena, she could crush his bones, she could simply render him immobile without his mask....She let lightning flow from her fingers. Ren’s blade caught the bolts.

Rey’s eyes widened but let go of the lightning and resumed attacking with her saberstaff. 

“You could have joined me alive!” He yelled. His flesh hand rose from his side and an invisible claw began to choke Rey. She was Pulled forwards, her toes scraping the ground. She was on the line of the inner circle with Ren was opposite her. Her knuckles turned white from gripping her saberstaff, knowing that would be the next thing he took if he deactivated his own lightsaber. Ren began to pinch his fingers together and Rey’s vision turned red at the edges. She lifted her own hand and shot more lightning at him. He missed capturing it with his blade and the tendrils pierced his skin. He howled in pain and Rey dropped to the ground, coughing.

As he stumbled, Rey shot up, using the energy of the Planet to keep her going. She jumped and landed behind him. He deflected her blade one handed, but she was getting closer. She managed to knock his blue bladed lightsaber out of his hand and she kicked him to where his mask collided with the ground. She held her blade almost against his back, breathing heavily. Rey just about spoke and Ren Pushed her blade away, spun around, and grabbed the Wielder's blade with his flesh hand, Vader's with his mechanical one.

The ancient stone blade ripped at Rey's eyes then cauterized by the crimson blade of a Sith. She screamed and fell to the floor. Her saberstaff clattered to the ground and rolled away, stopped by Ren’s foot. He kicked it back to her as he walked to retrieve his own lightsaber.

_I can’t see, I can’t see._

“The power of this planet is flowing through you,” Ren explained, hooking the Wielder's hilt onto his belt, afterwards, his own.

Rey stared ahead, not able to blink. Shadows swirled in her eyes, what was left of them. Barely, outlines appeared, but everything was on fire. Everything was bright. She saw the Kyber Crystals within the lightsabers Ren held in his hands, she looked to her left and saw the Portals within the temple, but she could not see with her physical eyes. Her trembling hand gravitated towards her face, which was still in searing pain, though the line that cut through her nose and both eyes was cauterized.

“Giving you more strength than ever. It was the Force that brought us here,” Ren continued, tossing Vader's lightsaber into his human hand.

Slowly, Rey reached for her saberstaff when Ren stomped down, crushing her fingers. Her exclamation was cut off as his mechanical hand gripped her throat.

“Ben,” she croaked, trying to reach the last part of him that actually felt. Yet her throat tightened even as he let go with his physical hand, her body being pushed against the stone floor of the arena. Rey couldn’t yell as she felt her body being torn apart; white hot daggers pierced her skin, pierced her heart, began to peel off layer by layer every thought, every hope, every dread to get to her soul, to her being. She fell to her knees, hands at her sides, as everything was being stripped away. Ren stopped towering over her as he fell opposite her, to one knee. 

He began to yell, muffled and distorted by the mask into which his mechanical fingers ripped. He tore the metal off piece by piece. Parts that had been grafted into his flesh began to pop out and clatter to the floor, which was glowing.

Slowly, he stood. Free of the apparatus, Ren craned his neck, looking around while running a hand through his hair, which had miraculously grown back. He was no longer deformed; even the scar Rey gave him was gone.

Meanwhile, Rey was being ripped apart; she was deathly pale, every old wound she ever had was resurfacing and she was feeling the pain of it all. Ren knelt over her, putting Vader's saber onto his belt, splaying his hand and smiled, noticing his fingers beginning to steady as his pain ebbed.

“The scavenger from Jakku,” he murmured. “The one who almost got away.” He took a breath and slowly exhaled: the first pain free breath in too long. “You were the only one that could have stopped me.”

Rey gritted her teeth and allowed her hand to inch over. The Living Force was being drained, not only from her, but from the planet, as she had been acting as a conduit for it. The galaxy was crying out, the pain rolling out of Rey’s eyes through her tears. Her fingers rested on Ren’s calf after finding a tear in his pants. “Be with me,” she whispered.

Memories first flooded Ren’s mind.

_Riding on Chewie’s shoulders._

_Learning to fly the Falcon._

_Building his first lightsaber._

_“Ben._ ”

“Mom,” he gasped, as the voice filled his mind. He stood up, his concentration wavering on Rey. “No, no!”

“ _Ben.”_

“Get away!” He screamed. “You died!”

“Benjamin Skywalker.” Leia appeared, surrounded by a blue hue. She smiled sadly and stepped up to Ren. She cupped his face and looked him in the eyes. “My son.”

“No. You aren’t here. You aren’t here!” Ren grabbed Vader’s lightsaber and whipped it out, making a slicing motion across Leia. His arm stopped mid swing.

Leia stopped the blade with her palm and sent the blade back into the hilt. “You do not have to take life in order to be powerful, Ben. Giving it, giving at all, is the most powerful weapon in the entire galaxy.” She knelt down, placing one hand on Rey’s forehead, stretching the other towards her son. “Come home.”

Ren’s hand passed through his mother's. He watched her dissipate and all that was left was a very broken Rey. Her hand had fallen away from his calf a long time ago, but it was still outstretched towards him. 

\----------------------

“Most of the square and the upper levels of the city are evacuated,” Deft told Finn, receiving more updates constantly. The barrage of the square had lessened, but not completely stopped.

“Okay, good. Next, you and your boys leave. I’ll stay and make sure as many can leave as possible.”

“I’m not sure if I can leave you, Sir. Not without a ride.”

“A) please don’t call me Sir and B) I’ll have a ride.”

“Are you sure Si-- Are you sure?”

Finn looked at the sky and smirked. “Yes. Now go!”

Deft nodded his thanks and rushed off, gathering his squad. Just as a ship landed and his crew boarded, Rose arrived back at the square, lightsaber in hand.

“I couldn’t stop it,” she said, panting.

“I know. We can’t do much more for this planet. Most have been evacuated.”

“Good, good.”

A few bolts streaked by and the pair ducked. Everything went silent and only then did Finn really not want to peek over the containers.

Four individuals, all garbed in black clothing and helmets, sauntered past debris and flames, entering the square from all four sides. They had various weapons, but the one that stood out the most was a rectangle hilt. The creature stared at Finn and activated the black bladed saber.

The four began to close in, two working perfectly in sync, the other two nearly perfectly. They never called their names, just sliced, cut, stabbed, and kicked silently. Rose was falling behind. She could not hold off for much longer, even though she did have a lightsaber, she was already bleeding from a gaping wound the Ax holder gave.

Finn focused on the creature, the leader, with the darksaber. They clashed, but the creature was naturally stronger than Finn and he was well adept with the saber.

“Who trained you?”

“Ren,” Hattaska replied.

“Great,” Finn launched into another round of attacks. Finally, he had enough and used the Force to take part of a destroyed building and throw it onto Hattaska, who could not get out of the way and went crashing to the ground. Finn Called the darksaber into his hand, took a few breaths to steady his nerves, and jumped back into the fight to help Rose.

One of the twins was decapitated by Finn throwing his lightsaber. The other momentarily froze, allowing Rose to take a swing at his feet. She rolled out and he fell, allowing her to stab him in the back. The last one did not have time to give a good fight; the _Falcon_ shot him in the chest and he crumpled. The bay ramp opened but there was not enough room to touch down.

“Ready?” Finn asked. Rose nodded and he Threw her into the ship, following a second later.

“Has Deke gotten on a ship?” Rose asked Poe.

“How should I know?”

Finn reached out with the Force. “He’s safe.”

“Alright. Let’s get out of here.” Poe nodded at Chewie and they flew out of the atmosphere. The aerial battle was nearly finished; most of the Order ships had either fled or were beginning to fall onto the planet below. No one in the cockpit noticed Finn leave.

He wandered to Rey’s room. It had been cleaned up since the Solo days; little knick-knacks were on shelves and the desk, there were plants hanging from the ceiling or on the ground in one corner of the room. Things were orderly and clean, something she must have done for Poe.

Finn reached out into the Force once more, forgetting his own bodily ailments for one more moment. “Rey, come back.”

He felt nothing. She was just…gone.

He leaned off her bed and grabbed one of the rocks from her desk. It was beautiful, rainbow in color depending on the light. It also changed color with Kyber Crystals; Rey found that out when her and Finn had their first real mission together. It wasn’t long after that Finn found his own lightsaber Crystal.

Finn wiped tears off his cheeks and pocketed the rock. He stood up, taking one last look around the room, and shut the door.

\--------------

Rey had used the last of her strength to reach out. Her fingers curled even as her wrist went limp.

Ren looked around the entirely empty space. There was nothing on that planet that could make him more powerful, nothing that could end his pain and his hunger. Nothing living. As if hearing his internal conflict, ghosts appeared.

His mother, Grandfather, and Uncle appeared first. Around, a myriad of Force users appeared, some staying for half a second, others that stood and stayed by his family’s side. The ones that stayed he heard clearly.

_You won’t be failing, Young Skywalker,_ Obi wan said with a wise nod. 

_You will be fulfilling your destiny,_ Asajj Ventress said curtly.

 _This is the way,_ Kanan Jarrus stood with his hands behind his back, welcoming all the same.

The other voices all culminated in these last two words, in which Ren locked eyes with his Grandfather.

_Come home._

Ren kneeled and took Rey’s hand.

Her body stopped deteriorating. As her wounds healed, bones reset, blood retreated; the opposite was happening for Ren. The life Force that he had taken was being returned. The dark and the light was swirling within Rey as life was given back through their grasping hands.

“Ben?”

He pulled her close, their foreheads touching. His face was cracked, broken and scarred. Burnt, cut, and all around monstrous. Rey’s free hand floated up to his cheek, barely touching the skin. Her breath was nearly without shaking, but his was shallow; quick and short, like his heartbeat. His life force was enough to repair Rey's body, but not enough to heal the last, most devastating wound he had inflicted; nothing could heal the cut caused by the Wielder's blade.

“Thank you, Rey," he said with a raspy voice. 

She couldn't think of any words. 

Ben closed his eyes and Rey felt energy slip through her fingers.

His cloak drifted to the ground, empty.

Anakin’s mechanical hand clattered to the floor.

Even with burnt eyes, Rey cried.


	27. An Ending and a Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn follows up on his promise to Rey  
> Rey puts to rest the Skywalker legacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A great thanks to Colin T and his Ep 9 script as well as Lucasfilm. This is the final chapter and even if there weren't a lot of readers or Kudos, I really enjoyed writing this story and I'm glad even a few people were able to enjoy it!  
> Authors note: there is a bit of time travel so if you read the names of characters that were previously killed off, the scene is set just before their demise.

“Finn, get to the gunner’s position!” Poe yelled.

“On it!”

One ship made it past the debris and straggling ships, chasing with deadly intent the Falcon. Finn caught a glimpse of the pilot: Hattaska, the one supposed to be dead under a pile of rocks. Above, Finn heard Rose tell Poe there was a chance the planet would blow up any second, and Poe’s reply that they couldn’t make the jump to hyperspace until they were out of the debris, which stretched on for several klicks. 

“Alright,” Finn donned the headset and prepared to fire. He missed every shot; the ship, shaped like a jagged knife, seemed immune to blaster fire. “Bank right!” He yelled. Poe followed and Finn was able to land a scathing shot, but nothing the Knife 9 couldn’t power through.

“We still have 10 klicks to go before scanners say we are good,” Poe yelled down. “Shake this guy off our tale before then!”

“I’m trying!”

Hattaska smiled, his violet eyes shining in the starlight and blaster fire. He clipped the Falcon a few times and each time Finn swore. He had enough at the last shot, which almost crippled the shields.

“Just get in the grid…”

The Knife 9 stayed just outside, seemingly knowing the parameters at which the Falcon was set. But at last, Hattaska made a mistake. Finn reached out with the Force, letting his hope and loss mix within his fingers, and froze the ship in one place just long enough to get a shot.

Knife 9 immediately went into a spin, and Finn put both hands back on the blaster and finished it off. Just one more ship lost to the battlefield.

“Alright, here we go!” Poe yelled, as Chewie engaged the hyperdrive. They got away, and Finn was happy about that. But he was nearly crippled due to the pain and death from Coruscant and the ships; Order, Smuggler, or Rebel; the lives that were lost both on and above the planet.

The Falcon landed back on Yavin IV in the middle of a sea of people and ships. Rose and Chewie exited first into the arms of hundreds of thousands of now-refugees. Poe, however, stayed back for Finn.

“That was an amazing trick you pulled back there,” he said, attempting to grin. Finn nodded but his eyes were glazed over. “Hey, we can just stay in here. No people, just us,” Poe continued.

“No, we have to go out there. For Rey, for everyone that we couldn’t save.” Finn steeled himself and walked out the door, hand in hand with Poe.

The cheering was deafening, but soon reality set in. Only the Order’s headquarters was blown up. They had struck a great blow to the First Order, but they were not vanquished yet. Some smugglers who helped in the Battle of Coruscant, left and went back to business, taking some of the refugees with them. Others did stay and ever offered up their fleets to help evacuate or destroy the rest of the Order. Even then, it was a long journey, years, in fact, before a new Republic was put in place.

Finn was offered a chance to restart the Jedi temple, rebuilding from Lothal or several other choice places. He refused. Poe however, did accept being the newest appointed Head of the Republic. (It helped that he was not Force-sensitive and that he was a troublemaker; on that, the People of the Republic could count on.)

Rose at first presided over the mechanical side of the new Republic, heading up the needed system's branch. After a year or three she handed it off to Deke’s mother, who happened to be a mechanical genius.

Deft and his men helped the Order Stormtroopers convert to Civilian life. With Finn’s help, he set up a system to find the families of the Troopers, if they wanted to go to their original home. If not, they could stay as a unit, working together in jobs they were qualified for and loved, although that was a bumpy ride.

Finn often went to the Pools on Yavin, looking for Guidance, before he left the Yavin system. He brought the ancient Jedi texts with him but when things were quiet, he began writing his own texts, not so rigid in tradition yet even more powerful. When he went off-world, he sought out orphans, wanting to give them a home. It did not matter if they were Force-sensitive, he still wanted to help them. He gave them all a choice, if they wanted to find a family or if they wanted to stay with him and his family (Rose did help, but it was Poe when he wasn’t working off-world, that became Finn’s true family). When there was a Force-sensitive child that was an orphan, Finn taught them how to use the Force. If they wanted to stay, they could seek out their own Kyber Crystal and create a lightsaber. If they were apart of a family, they were never forced to leave. If they wanted to come, they could, but always their families could visit or they could go see their families; Finn never wanted to see a child forget who they were and where they came from.

Every year on the anniversary of the Battle of Coruscant, Finn would go back to Yavin IV and wander around the still quiet Forest. He would end his journey next to the Pools and he would leave a rock and flower in remembrance of Rey. He still Felt her sometimes, but it was always fleeting. When he went back to his home, with the children and Poe, he always told the story of her life and her sacrifices, always ending on a hopeful note, because that was what he needed. As time passed, it was still just that, a hope, and it was fading from his soul. But he still remembered.

\------------------

Rey passed out with tears staining her face. She woke up, surrounded by a bright light.

She touched her cheeks and eyes; they were still cauterized, but she could see perfectly. In wonder, she looked around at the vast expanse.

“Rey.”

She turned around. “Who are you?”

A cloaked woman with orange skin, white markings, and montrals walked up to her, tall staff in hand. “My name is Ahsoka Tano. We have spoken before,” she smiled as Rey looked away. “We are on a world between worlds, the second dimension of Mortis, one where death and life mingle with the Cosmic Force. Here, you get to make a decision.”

“A decision?” Rey looked back at Ahsoka.

“Here, you can choose to come with me, be one with the Cosmic Force. Be with Force users of the past. You’ll be able to see for all of eternity.”

“But I would never see my friends again….” Rey’s voice dropped off.

Ahsoka nodded. “You would not. You could speak to them, as I have spoken to you.”

“What happens if I go back?” Rey asked, her voice small.

“Then your sight stays lost, and you will not receive guidance from the Voices of the Past.” Ahsoka walked close to Rey and drew her hood back. Her eyes were understanding and her touch soft, as she placed her hand on Rey’s shoulder. “Though, those that chose to talk to you still can,” she smiled, and Rey tried to. “You already know what you will choose,” Ahsoka took her hand off Rey’s shoulder and stepped back. She bowed slightly, putting her hood back on. “May the Force be with you.”

Rey nodded thanks and closed her eyes.

\----------------

She opened them, blind once more. Yet, the ends of her lips twitched up. She breathed again, breathed in the Force, breathed in life. She stood up shakily, took a step and felt something soft beneath her foot. She crouched down and felt Ben’s clothes. She picked them up and raised her eyebrows when there was weight to it. She had already pulled the lightsabers out of the bundle and set them with her own. She felt around, her finger finding a long chain. She knew what it was immediately; the ring she had put on his finger in the throne room. She slipped the necklace on and continued to search.

Her fingers wrapped around a hilt. She drew the Wielder’s sword out, feeling the blade grow. She wished desperately she could see it. She set it down, next to Anakin’s hand. She lifted Ben’s clothes without any additional weight. Carefully, before folding them up, she found a tear in his cloak and ripped off a strip of fabric. She placed it over her eyes, knotting the blindfold on.

She used the Force to clean up the helmet shards, contemplating if she should set them with Ben’s clothes or not.

There was no regret as she threw them off the cliff side of the arena.

Her hands were only sure as she picked up her lightsaber, strapping it to her back; Ben’s and Vader’s, hanging them on her waist. She picked up the Wielder’s sword and Anakin’s hand, placed them on Ben’s clothes, and picked up the bundle.

Stairs were tricky but she walked up them without falling. Remembering there were no obstructions, she was able to cross to the center of the room quickly. She still held the bundle tight in her hands, even as she sat on the foot of the throne area, setting the bundle to the side. For the first time in a very long time, it was just her. No other voices, no other Wills, just her.

The sight of the hazy portals got the gears turning in her head. But first, she felt for Ben’s clothing bundle and picked up the Wielder’s sword. It materialized in her hand, even though there was no need. She stood up and walked up to the throne. She let go of it and let it hover over the seat, slowly setting it down by the Force. The hilt would rest there for all eternity.

\------------- 

The mysteries of Mortis could not be unraveled in a day. Rey meditated long and hard; she wandered the mountains and plains, crossed rivers and ravines, learning through the Force, learning of it. About a year had passed when she felt ready to make an expedition. Who she would visit first was a hard choice, but one she knew she would not regret if things went wrong.

Taking a breath, she stepped through a Portal. For the first time, she could see things other than Darkness. She forged through the star-aligned pathways, Feeling out for her target. It was un known how far she had traveled, only her feet told her it was long enough. She reached her hand out and felt water. Taking a breath, Rey plunged through the portal.

“What the Kriff?”

Rey smiled at the familiar voice and the sound of a lightsaber deactivating. “Hello, Luke.”

He stayed silent, standing in the same spot, frozen, for five minutes, wanting to ask so many questions but having the feeling that what was happening should not have been happening. So he only asked one. “Is it worth it?”

Rey nodded, unhooking Ben’s lightsaber from her belt. Luke took it, examined it, and handed it back to her, along with something else.

Rey’s fingers curled around the second hilt.

“It’s time for the Skywalker legacy to be put to rest,” he said with a knowing nod. “There is one more saber, in my hut. It doesn’t deserve to be hidden anymore.”

Rey put both sabers on her belt. “Thank you, Master Luke Skywalker.” She bowed. He returned the action and they both turned away.

The saber was elegant rose gold with a blue blade. Rey smiled, feeling the intricacies and seeing the life of the Crystal inside. “Leia,” she whispered, running her hand on the hilt before attaching it to her belt, next to her son’s.

She stood up and walked out of the hut, wishing she could see the sea one more time. But the window of opportunity was closing, so she hiked her way down a familiar path.

This time, the darkness did not pull her in. She jumped down the seaweed covered hole and landed on the rocky ledge rather than the water. Her steps seemed to be a replay of what happened those years ago, except this time, she was not searching for something or someone. She touched her fingertips to the wall and the Portal was opened. She walked the starlit path once more and reemerged onto Mortis.

She took off Luke and Leia’s sabers and set them on Ben’s cloak, next to Vader’s saber and Anakin’s hand. Standing back, she took the necklace off her neck. Two rings were joined on it, both Han’s trackers. She knew that she could not see him, but there was one person she could see before her death. Yet the thought scared her. So, for a while, Rey worked on getting her ship back up and running, a caution if she ever wanted to leave Mortis sealed and forgotten. Too long passed before she donned that necklace again and stepped through a Portal.

Her hand broke through and Rey felt a surge of relief.

Leia turned in her chair and gasped, seeing Rey emerged from the wall, yet she did not say anything before she wrapped her arms around the blind girl.

“My dear Rey,” she said, cupping Rey’s face. “Time has not been kind to you.”

Rey shook her head, wanting so desperately to pull Leia out of there and tell her everything. But there was no time. Instead, she just pulled off her necklace and showed it to Leia, who immediately recognized them. Her brow tensed yet her eyes softened as she moved the rings around her palm. She handed the necklace back to Rey, who slipped the necklace on just as emergency alarms began blaring.

Leia did not turn her head at the sound, she just looked at Rey’s face, who showed guilt despite her saddened features. She slipped off her own Alderannian ring and clasped Rey’s fingers around it with a wise, sad smile. She patted Rey’s closed fist and once more cupped her face.

“It’s worth it, isn’t it?” She asks before letting go.

Even through the pain, Rey managed a smile. “It is.”

“Then it is time.” Leia turned away and walked out of her quarters. Rey watched the door shut behind and turned away. She unclasped the necklace and slid Leia’s ring onto it, and slipped it back onto her neck. She walked back through the wall and returned to Mortis once more.

One more stop.

The Falcon was, for once, home on Yavin IV. Rey had chosen this time because it was right before she left it for good, in Poe’s hands. Months had passed before then, and back then she had no idea what to do with the empty hilts she had. But this time, she knew exactly what she needed to do.

She popped into her old quarters and immediately closed the door. She had to feel around, attempting to keep the noise to a minimum. She found the chest that held the saber parts, the same chest that she had taken the Skywalker saber out of at Maz’s (it had been a gift on a previous travel). Carefully, Rey took the hilts and placed them in her saddlebag.

Unlike when she visited Leia, she could not exit out of the same room. Though barely, Rey saw the outline of the Portal in the forest, near a nexus of the Force. She Reached out and Felt for Finn, but he was in the military compound. There weren’t many people milling about, so it was the perfect time.

She opened the door and Felt no one around her. She made it to the forest, no problem. The Portal was near, but so was something else.

The nexus contained both the Dark and Light side, and it met in the middle. It was then that Rey remembered the Pools, and it was when she saw down that she knew what the other thing she Felt was.

“Finn,” she whispered, her voice almost a croak.

It was the anniversary of the Battle of Coruscant, and Finn, in his present time, sat at the Pools. He felt a Pull in the Force but squashed down that hope. He sat with his feet in both Nexus’ thinking, when he heard her voice. It was faint, but it was right next to him.

“Rey?” He looked around, almost frantically.

Faintly, with the light from the Nexus’ and Portal, she could see his outline. She placed her hand where his would be, and stepped through the Portal.

Finn felt her presence leave, but the next night he was home, he told the story of Rey with a new vigor, so much so that Poe asked what was different. Finn could only wring his hands and give a small smile.

“She’s coming back.”

\------------

Rey had all of the Skywalker sabers. Sitting before the Throne, she laid out the Legacy of the Skywalkers.

Anakin’s saber, empty; Luke and Leia’s sabers; Ben’s saber; Ren and Vader’s sabers. In between Leia’s saber and Ben’s, she placed the necklace with Han and Leia’s rings.

She left the Throne room and went to the cave she had taken shelter in the first night on Mortis. There, she started a fire and meditated. There was only one Ghost that she wanted to see.

“Where should I bury your legacy?”

“Naboo, at the grave site of Queen Padme Amidala,” Anakin replied. “No one remembers her, but without her, this story could never have been told.”

Rey put out the fire and headed back to the Throne Room. She wrapped the Legacy in Ben’s robes and put it in her saddlebag. She stepped once more into the World between Worlds. Naboo was a long walk away, but worth every step.

A little girl walked up to Rey. “Miss, are you lost?”

Rey nodded.

“Where are you trying to go?”

“Queen Amidala’s grave.”

The little girl thought for a moment then grabbed Rey’s hand. “I don’t know where it is, but we can find it together!”

Rey smiled and let the little girl lead her. They walked for a long time, the little girl asking so many questions after seeing Rey’s staff, which she used as a walking stick.

“What’s your name?” She finally asked. 

“Rey. What’s yours?”

“Kira.”

“Do you have a family?” 

The little girl nodded her head. “Yes, but my mother is sick and my father died in a space ship crash.” She looked up at Rey. “Do you have a family?”

Rey set her lips in a line, not sure how to respond at first. “My parents are gone, but my friends are out there.”

“Why aren’t they with you?”

“I had to finish a mission.”

“I’ll be your friend then,” Kira said, taking Rey’s hand again. “If my map is correct, we are almost there!” She looked at the mini-navi computer on her wrist, so similar to the one Rey remembered having while scavenging.

“If your mom dies…would you want to come with me?”

The little girl fell silent. They walked in somber equilibrium, and soon Kira let go of Rey’s hand. They were in the back corner of a field, with a small temple standing between two of the rolling hills.

“If you want to leave, I’ll find my way back,” Rey said after their silent moment. Kira shook her head.

“I would like to watch,” she nearly whispered, still not answering the previous question.

Rey nodded and set to work. She placed her hand on the doors and they opened. She entered the tomb and for the first time in too long light fell on the casket of Padme Amidala. Rey touched the glass casket. “Your family will be remembered forever.”

She stepped back and took Ben’s robes out of her saddlebag. She squatted down and unrolled the bundle. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the Kira watching.

“Have you heard of the Force?”

Kira shook her head. “What is it?”

Rey smiled. “It is a power that surrounds everyone and everything. Some can even tap into it and use it for their advantage.” She stretched out her hand and a jagged rectangle of earth rose out of the ground. Rey set it down as Kira stared wide eyed.

“Can I learn to do that?”

Rey chuckled. “Maybe.” She then picked out Vader’s saber and Ren’s, taking them off the cloak. She put them in her saddlebag and then re adjusted the four Skywalker sabers, even wrapping together Leia's and Ben's with the necklace that held Leia and Han's rings. She folded the cloak back up and Placed them in the ground, in front of Padme Amidala’s eternal resting place. She Picked up the earthen rectangle and Rested it back where it belonged.

“Goodbye, Skywalkers.”

Kira grabbed Rey’s hand and the closed up the tomb once more. When they reached the city, Rey thanked Kira.

“I have to go one more place,” she said, kneeling down. “But I can return, if you want me to.”

Kira nodded then hugged Rey unexpectedly. She let go and ran off into the more crowded square.

Rey headed towards the ring of the Portal and walked through. Instead of heading right back to Mortis, she took another path in the World between Worlds.

A heat wave smacked her in the face, reminiscent of the hottest sand storms on Jakku. Rey braced herself and climbed up the side of the high ground.

Screams filled the air. Rey ignited her saberstaff, but the cry was not as near as her senses led her to believe. She deactivated the beams and crouched, moving closer to the large structure she Felt.

The screams continued and Rey recognized their owner: Ren. She Reached out, coming to the realization that he was dying.

_This is that moment_ , she thought. _This is where the monster’s face formed._

Rey felt his anger and his hatred, as well as the pain of years past, once her hand touched the tarmac of the landing platform. So many lives taken on this planet. It would have been indifferent if another had been taken on its soil.

The Dark Side reached out to Rey here. So much anger filled the air with very surge of lightning; that, she could see. Ren was dying, and that was the fate of anyone that interfered with the Sith. Yet he struggled. He clawed at his lightsaber, writing in agony, even after the lightning stopped. He passed out from shock and Rey walked back to where she came from.

In her hands she held Vader and Ren’s sabers. Standing on a mound above the bank of the lava river, she tossed Ren’s empty hilt in first, watching it melt. She held Vader’s saber for a moment longer, even igniting it, the crimson blade inviting yet painful to feel. She deactivated it and threw it into the lava.

The last chapter closed on the Skywalker name, good and bad.

\---------------

Rey went back to Mortis to sit and meditate. Her answer was not as quick as she would have hoped, but once she received it, she went to Naboo and picked up Kira.

“Are you sure you want to come with me?”

The little girl nodded and Rey held out her hand. Kira grabbed it and they walked into the World between Worlds together.

\------------------

Finn just helped the children clean up after dinner and brought them all out onto the front field for that night’s lesson in lightsaber training. He was about to start when two silhouettes appeared, the sun perfectly backing them.

His arm dropped to his side as he walked through the children, who followed his gaze.

When the sun half disappeared on the horizon and Finn couldn’t contain his joy.

Rey was finally home.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi guys, this is one of my longer works and any feedback is great. Love y'all and stay safe during this quarantine :)


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